Whatever else happens, the East Syracuse Minoa boys soccer team’s main aim is to get a Section III Class  A title and perhaps go much further.

However, the Spartans were creeping closer to the top of the state rankings, hitting the no. 5 spot last week, until it suffered its first defeat of the season.

PSLA-Fowler blanked the Spartans 3-0 last Thursday at Burnet Park in clash of two unbeaten sides. The Spartans were 11-0-1, while the Falcons were 10-0-1. The only blemish each side had was the 0-0 draw they had in September at Spartan Stadium.

Now, in the rematch, the first half again went scoreless, but here things diverged. PSLA-Fowler finally solved ESM’s stingy defense early in the second half and, energized by that goal, converted twice more.

Faris Gardod had two of the Falcons’ goals, with the other going to Crishaun McKenzie as he assisted on one of Gardod’s pair of tallies. Najib Ahmed and Jean-Baptiste Rakotarison also had assists as goalie Gabe Venance stopped all eight ESM shots he faced.

ESM’s neighbors from Jamesville-DeWitt had a strong showing in last Tuesday’s game against Auburn, blanking the Maroons 2-0.

In order to overcome 10 saves by Auburn goalie Kieran Scanlan, the Red Rams simply needed to keep the ball – which it did, eventually getting a goal in each half as Joe Bertone scored once and assisted on Connor Ball’s tally. Ben Catania had the assist on Bertone’s goal.

Hosting Fulton on Thursday, J-D rallied late and forced it to overtime, only to fall 3-2 to the Red Raiders in the second extra period.

It was 2-1 in Fulton’s favor at halftime, but the Rams’ defense tightened and kept the Red Raiders off the board, allowing itself to pull even as Bertone and Ball picked up J-D’s goals.

Through one OT period, it stayed 2-2, but in the last 10 minutes Fulton put in the game-winner, Ethan Caruana getting that goal when he headed a cross from Cameron Stuart past Logan Roadarmel, who to that point had recorded seven saves.

Bishop Grimes sat at no. 11 in Class C as it hosted Faith Heritage last Monday afternoon and routed the Saints 6-1. A pair of first-half goals got the Cobras in front, but it did even more after intermission.

Byam Mugushu augmented his three-goal hat trick with a pair of assists as Connor Alexander earned a goal and two assists. Mike DeBlasi and Zed Weigand also scored as Jon Burns had the Saints’ lone tally in the second half.

Then Grimes outscored Cato-Meridian in a wild 7-4 match on Friday, needing three goals from Mugushu and two goals from Deng Mawien as Alexander and Robert Mannion also converted. Weigand contributed an assist. Cato’s Gavin Carvey led his side by matching Mugushu’s three-goal hat trick.

On Saturday, Grimes faced Marcellus and lost, 3-2, to the Class B Mustangs, who went up 2-1 by halftime and answered the Cobras in the latter stages, too. Mawien and Alexander had one goal apiece as Fritz made 12 saves. David Bosak led Marcellus with two goals.

Manlius-Pebble Hill, who had lost to Grimes the week before, made a nice statement in last Monday’s game against visiting Tully as it returned key players to its lineup and beat the Black Knights 2-1.

Neither Naldo Chen nor Ahk El-Hindi had played against Grimes. Now they were back, and though the Trojans had far fewer chances than Tully, it capitalized on them.

El-Hindi not only got a goal, he assisted on Jay Hoke’s tally as Chen earned the assist when El-Hindi converted. More importantly, the MPH defense held up, Ezra Hanlin able to stop 11 of the 12 shots he faced.

This momentum did not last for MPH as, on Thursday, it was stunned 3-1 by Onondaga, who had lost its first 11 games of the season, but ended that skid against the Trojans.

Ahk El-Hindi’s goal got MPH on the board, yet it wasn’t enough. Danya Mango led the Tigers with two goals and Colin Doner converted, too, with Ventre Woolery getting two assists and Adam Wood stopping 13 of the Trojans’ 14 shots.