If there was an ideal way for the Skaneateles boys soccer team to lay claim to the Onondaga High School League Liberty National division regular-season title, it was found in 2018.
Two tough wins three days apart clinched that league title, each by 2-1 margins as Skaneateles first claimed it Oct. 5 Laker duel with Cazenovia and then turned back another main rival, Marcellus, last Tuesday at Hyatt Stadium.
Those games were made closer in proximity by the weather postponement of the Oct. 4 game with Cazenovia. Two days later, Skaneateles rode a pair of mid-game corner kicks and clutch stops on defense to win that game 2-1.
Now, facing Marcellus, Skaneateles had to weather a scoreless first half, not to mention a late push where the Mustangs got a goal from Brody Shanahan, assisted by David Bosak. It was all Yorvin Solis allowed as he made five saves.
There weren’t enough of those chances for Marcellus, whose goalie, Dan Balman, made 13 saves, but couldn’t keep everything out. Skaneateles got to Balman as Sam Gadjo and Will Pinckney had second-half goals, assisted by Thomas Reed and Landon Hellwig.
With a 12-3-1 regular-season mark, Skaneateles could now get some much-needed rest and recuperation before the Section III Class B tournament, where a difficult path awaited them.
Given the no. 2 seed and a first-round game Wednesday against no. 15 seed Mexico, the Lakers knew that, if it won here, it could meet Marcellus again since the Mustangs have the no. 7 seed and must face Lowville in the first round. And a potential semifinal against no. 3 seed and two-time defending champion Westhill looms, too, if both get that far.
