Once more, area high school boys soccer teams populate various state rankings, led by East Syracuse Minoa, who started last week unbeaten and no. 7 in the state Class A poll.
The Spartans didn’t get much of a challenge from Central Square last Monday night, prevailing 6-0 over the Redhawks as, this time around, Sean Belcher led the way.
Belcher had a part in half of ESM’s scoring plays, with two goals and one assist. Kyle Scalzo scored, but so did Todd Durantini, Aiden Tedesco and Devin Mascato as Ermin Almeic and Jason Longo joined Tedesco and Belcher in the assist column.
Going to Holland Stadium to face Auburn Thursday night, ESM looked to run the unbeaten streak to 11, and did so by smashing the Maroons 6-0.
This was yet another showcase for Scalzo, who put away four goals, plus an assist. Durantini and Belcher each had one goal and one assist as Amleic and Conner Stark got assists, too.
And in Saturday’s game against Fulton, ESM won 2-0, staying patient through a scoreless first half before Scalzo took over late, netting both of the Spartans’ goals to run his season total to 21. Ryan Cacace stopped all seven Red Raiders shots he faced.
Bishop Grimes moved up to no. 12 in the state in Class C, and even without its leading scorer on hand, the Cobras were able to rally past its neighbors from Manlius-Pebble Hill 4-1 last Monday afternoon.
Byan Mugushu, who has accumulated 14 goals this season, was not available against the Trojans because of a red card he attained in the team’s last game, a 3-0 defeat to state Class D no. 2-ranked Fabius-Pompey.
MPH also missed some key players, including seniors Naldo Chen and Ach El-Hindi, yet went in front of the Cobras 1-0 midway through the first half when a long free kick from the left by Grant Lewis was mishandled by Ethan Fritz, allowing Jay Hoke to convert.
All of that changed when Grimes, picking up the wind at its back, struck for three goals in less than nine minutes early in the second half.
Connor Alexander got it going when he converted off David Cifonelli’s throw-in. Then Zed Weigand netted the go-ahead goal off a rebound of Deng Mawien’s shot that hit the post, and Mike DeBlasi scored, too, in this flurry.
Weigand added a second goal late in the half, with Alexander tacking on two assists as Fritz shook off his early mistake to earn eight saves overall.
Barely 24 hours later, Grimes went to Tully, with Mugushu returning to the lineup and helping the Cobras stage another second-half comeback to beat the Black Knights 3-2.
Sam Stoogenke scored once and assisted on Dante Bertolo’s goal, which helped Tully go up 2-1 by halftime. Yet once more Grimes rallied, tying it and going in front as Mugushu scored twice, with Mawien adding a goal and assist and Cifonelli also getting an assist.
Grimes then beat LaFayette 3-0 on Saturday, Mugushu leading a late getaway as he scored once and assisted on the goals put in by Mawien and DiBlasi. Alexander got the assist on Mugushu’s goal.
Christian Brothers Academy sneaked into the state Class A rankings in the no. 20 spot and proceeded to make a big statement last Tuesday night when it rolled past Marcellus 4-0.
Matt Potenza had quite the first half, helping the Brothers build a 3-0 advantage and eventually earning a hat trick as Jack Harrigan got CBA’s other goal. Dean Vlassis, Ayo Oguntola, Ben Vlassis and Tristain Kucera each got credit for an assist.
A 7-2 win at Phoenix followed on Thursday as the Brothers got two goals apiece from Kucera and Ben Vlassis, with Harrigan, Dan Melvin and Anthony Marsallo also converting. Hunter Burton had two assists as Zach Witz, Andrew Kohlbrenner and Jon Duteau notched single assists.
Jamesville-DeWitt won 3-1 over Cortland last Tuesday, spreading its production around as Johnny Keib, Jackson Carmen and Carman VanStry each netted goals, with assists going to Mike Potamianos, Joe Bertone and Will Quackenbush.
Two days later, though, J-D fell 1-0 to the same Central Square team ESM had handled in its previous game. The Rams had far more chances, but none of its 12 shots got past Redhawks goalie Robby Howley as Noah Steele’s first-half goal held up.
