Not since the early 2000s has the Cazenovia field hockey team found itself with far more uncertainty than resolution heading into the regular-season homestretch.
A young Lakers lineup has faced all kinds of adversity, perhaps peaking Sept. 28 when it surrendered seven goals to Camden in the first round of the Blue Devils’ own O’Connor Tournament.
That, along with a 2-0 defeat to Vestal, left Cazenovia at 3-6-1 overall, but it was still 3-1 in the Onondaga High School League and could still vie for league honors if all went well in October.
At the very least, Cazenovia found a productive groove in last Tuesday’s game at Homer, Lily Sorbello earning a hat trick during the Lakers’ 7-1 rout of the Trojans.
Not only did Sorbello score three times, there was Samantha Morgan earning a goal and two assists as Katie Ammann continually set up plays with her three assists.
Single goals also went to Carley Loundsbury, Peyton Basic and Elora Wilmot for the first time this season as the Lakers’ attack expanded out from a couple of players.
Now the question was whether this would continue when Cazenovia hosted Port Byron/Union Springs on Thursday at Burton Street. It did not quite happen as the Lakers lost, 2-1, to the Panthers.
Under attack most of the way, Cazenovia did see Flannery stop 11 of the 13 shots she faced. Only Rileigh Gray was able to convert for Port Byron/Union Springs, but her pair of goals made the difference as the Panthers avenged a 3-2 defeat to the Lakers earlier this season.
In Saturday’s game at Fayetteville-Manlius, Cazenovia again tested itself against a Class A opponent, and could not get on the board in a 4-0 defeat to the Hornets.
Three more games await the Lakers in this, the last week of the regular season, with a trip to Weedsport sandwiched in between home games against Cato-Meridian and Moravia.
