All seemed in place for the Cicero-North Syracuse field hockey team to do something special in last Saturday’s Class A regional final against Maine-Endwell.

Having earned its first Section III title in five years by dethroning two-time defending champion Baldwinsville, the Northstars rode a wave of confidence, and would get to play this regional game on its home turf at Bragman Stadium.

Not only that, but it had the entire hopes of sectional field hockey on them since, earlier that day, Class B champion Holland Patent (to Afton) and Class C champion Camden (to Whitney Point) had both lost to other Section IV foes.

With all of that as a backdrop, C-NS took the field and handled everything it could – except Maine-Endwell forward Anna Castaldo, whose hat trick ended the Northstars’ season as the Spartans prevailed 3-1.

Cold, windy conditions and mixed precipitation (rain, sleet) for both sides made things a bit more difficult, but M-E still took a 1-0 lead on Castaldo’s goal that was the only tally of the first half.

Unfazed by this, the Northstars got on the board in the second half thanks to a goal by Allison Bartlett, yet that was answered by Castaldo and, in the latter stages, Castaldo poured it in again for a third goal to clinch the Spartans’ victory.

It was just the second defeat C-NS took during this 15-2-1 campaign. It will see seven seniors, including Bartlett, Jamie Wagner, Vanessa Wilkins, Allie Ball and Mina Erickson, depart.

Yet with the likes of Jamie Snyder, Anna Melfi, Katie Thies, Emily Kuehn, Olivia Brown and goalie Ally Wagner still  on hand in 2019, the Northstars can still carry championship aspirations.