At least for the moment, the invisible pendulum that marks the boys lacrosse rivalry between Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool has swung in the Northstars’ direction.
Regardless of the analogy, though, it’s the results that matter, and C-NS got the result it wanted out of last Thursday night’s clash at Bragman Stadium, getting away late and earning an 11-7 victory over the Warriors.
With far more recent success any time they have met up, Liverpool may have carried a psychological edge into the game, except that the Northstars, once 0-2, were carrying momentum of its own thanks to back-to-back wins.
Still, the first half went back and forth, C-NS jumping out in front early, but the Warriors making up the ground during the second quarter, leaving the two sides even at 4-4 going into the break.
It was in the third period that the Northstars gained control for good, doubling up Liverpool 4-2 and continuing to display the diversity of its fast-improving attack. Four different players scored multiple goals, each of them helped by Anthony Cimino’s four assists.
Joel Firth netted three for a hat trick, with Justin Griffith, Conner Lynch and Jason Meigs getting two goals apiece. Cimino and Chase Casler had single goals, Casler and Lynch adding assists and Matt Cramer notching two assists.
On Liverpool’s side, Kyle Caves had three goals and one assist, with Ian Conroy scoring twice. Aaron Clouthier and Devin Dewane added single goals and Ryan McGowan got two assists. Cole Zaferikas made nine saves, two less than Northstars counterpart Joe Bartolo.
C-NS entered this game with plenty of momentum, plus a SCAC Metro division victory in the books as it went to Corcoran High School last Tuesday and took out the combined Syracuse City team 15-6.
Here the Northstars displayed a near-perfect balance in its attack, with six different players recording multiple goals and only Josh Pickard finding the net three times, adding an assist.
Griffith had a goal and three assists, with Casler getting two goals and two assists. Firth, Cramer, Lynch and Meigs also had two-goal outings as Mason Blakeman added a goal. Bartolo stopped 10 of the 16 shots he faced.
Now, after beating Liverpool, C-NS would join its neighbors in welcoming Essex, from Vermont, for back-to-back weekend games, with the local side winning in each instance, but in varying manners.
Perhaps having a letdown less than 24 hours after topping Liverpool, C-NS had a tough time with Essex, shut out in the second quarter and tied 2-2 before a big third quarter helped the Northstars prevail 10-8.
Cramer, with three goals and one assist, led that late charge, with Casler and Lynch earning two goals apiece. Griffith, Meigs and Josh Pickard had the other goals, Cimino adding an assist.
Liverpool, steaming about the loss to C-NS, took it out on Essex the next morning, sprinting out to a 7-0 lead before the first quarter was done and extending the margin to 11-0 by halftime.
Eventually the Warriors won 16-4, Fahey’s five assists part of an effort where Aaron Clouthier had four goals and one assist, with Caves getting three goals and three assists. McGowan also had three assists, scoring twice as Dewane got two goals and two assists.
Both Liverpool and C-NS get their shots at Baldwinsville this week at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, with the Northstars also taking on West Genesee Tuesday and the Warriors going to Fayetteville-Manlius Thursday and hosting Rome Free Academy Saturday.
