The Central New York high school spring sports season got underway before the winter season had even concluded.
While West Genesee and Cooperstown were earning state boys basketball championships in Binghamton, that same weekend the Liverpool girls lacrosse team had its first game of 2019 on Long Island against North Shore on March 16.
In that game, the Warriors lost, 11-9, to the Vikings, spoiling the debut of new head coach Erynn Anderson as it could not overcome a sluggish start on offense, managing just three goals in the first half.
Liverpool improved as the game went on, Bella Brancato getting two goals and two assists as Colleen Tifft, Jenna Irwin and Kendra Hall also scored twice. Kristin Rankin had the other goal as Hall and Caroline Stevens earned assists. Samantha Bates and Abby Cole combine to make 12 saves.
It was another nine days before the Liverpool boys lacrosse team got underway, venturing to Vestal last Monday night and finding plenty of success in an impressive 13-6 win over the Golden Bears.
Much of the damage was done in the second quarter, the Warriors breaking out of a 2-2 tie by outscoring Vestal 7-1 and then blanking the Golden Bears in the third period to prevent any comeback.
Kyle Caves had a part in more than half of Liverpool’s scoring plays, amassing four goals and four assists. Devin Dewane, Ryan McGowan and Jacob Fahey each had two goals and one assist, with Ian Conroy, Aaron Clouthier and Cade Clouthier earning single goals and Conroy adding an assist. Cole Zaferikas and Liam O’Neil had 13 saves between them.
A night later, the Liverpool girls had its home opener against Whitesboro, and gave Anderson her first coaching victory with relative ease, claiming this Warrior duel 20-7.
In a dominant first half, Liverpool scored 16 times against an overwhelmed Whitesboro defense to create a running clock, Emily Salanger at the forefront as she finished with six goals, her passes often coming from Irwin, who amassed six assists to go with a lone tally.
Hall scored four times, adding two assists, while Macy Moore got three goals and three assists. Brancato had a goal and three assists, with Tifft getting one goal and one assist as Stevens, Hailey Curtis and Erika Princzes also found the net.
On Saturday at Herkimer Community College, Liverpool’s boys faced Shaker (Section II), and it turned into the lacrosse equivalent of a slugfest, not decided until the Warriors pulled it out 4-3 in overtime over the Blue Bison.
Neither team scored in the first quarter. Then Liverpool inched in front, 3-1, over the course of the game’s middle stages, only to get blanked in the fourth quarter as Shaker found the net twice and pulled event.
But it was McGowan, who already had a goal, that converted in the OT period to win it as Fahey and Aaron Clouthier both got one goal and one assist. Terrific in the net, Zaferikas turned back 11 of the Blue Bison’s 14 shots.
Entering April, the Liverpool boys are off most of this week before a Saturday trip to Watertown, while the girls Warriors host Cazenovia Tuesday before back-to-back games on the weekend, hosting Brighton (SectionV) Friday and going to Central Square on Saturday afternoon
