Going into the annual Finger Lakes Cup, the Skaneateles boys soccer team was, through hard work and perseverance, evolving into the contender that it envisioned in August.
The Lakers had seven of eight games, none more satisfying than the sixth game in that sequence as it claimed a tough 1-0 decision over Westhill last Monday night at Hyatt Stadium.
Westhill is the two-time defending Section III Class B champions, who also reached the state final four each of those two years. Yet it was only 5-2 this fall, with defeats to Marcellus and CBA.
Sensing a chance to catch a more vulnerable Warriors side, the Lakers kept it 0-0 in the first half and through a good portion of the second half, too, limiting Westhill to a handful of chances.
All of this paid off in the 61st minute when a Warriors foul inside the 18-yard box created a Skaneateles penalty kick, and Sam Gajdo converted it, the only goal needed. Westhill took just five shots, all stopped by Yorvin Solis.
Less than 24 hours after this conquest, the Lakers had to travel to Phoenix, and went through an uneven first half before dominating the last 45 minutes to beat the Firebirds 6-1.
Due to Adam Hahn’s goal for Phoenix, Skaneateles found itself 1-1 going into intermission, and whatever was adjusted during the break worked because the Lakers charged and had its most productive second half of the season.
Thomas Reed led that charge, eventually earning two goals and one assist. Gadjo scored, as did Alex Arefeyev, Levi Carvahlo and Mike Lovier, with Brendan Powers and Jack Donovan picking up assists.
Now it was on to the Finger Lakes Cup, which began Friday with Skaneateles taking on St. Francis as Rochester Aquinas squared off with Henninger in the other opening-round game.
Henninger prevailed, 1-0, over Aquinas. Then it was the Lakers’ turn, and it netted the only first-half goal against St. Francis, which ultimately made the difference as it gained a 3-2 victory.
Three different Skaneateles players – Jack Panasci, Tylar Moss and Landon Hellwig – earned those three goals, with assists going to Reed and Jack Donovan. Solis, in the net, struggled in the second half, but still had five saves.
The final between Skaneateles and Henninger proved a tight one, but the Lakers lost 1-0 on Tite Botame’s second-half goal and six saves by goalie Lubenda Echeni.
With an 8-3-1 overall record, Skaneateles would meet Bishop Kearney (Section V) on Monday and visit Cazenovia Wednesday night.
