Even after getting head coach her 300th career win, the challenges for the Skaneateles girls lacrosse team remained quite steep, as evidenced by last Tuesday’s 7-5 loss to Rush-Henrietta.
The Lakers played a solid first half, yet could not convert enough to take full control. Thus, a 3-1 lead remained vulnerable, and the Royal Comets plowed right through, dominating most of the second half and charging out in front.
Only three Skaneateles players netted goals as Grace Dower and Riley Brogan both scored twice, with Maggie Newton earning the other goal. Olivia Navaroli got shut out by a Rush-Henrietta defense that focused on her.
A day later, playing at Tully, Skaneateles recovered in a hurry, breaking out on offense as Navaroli and Dwyer both had big showings in a 19-10 win over the Black Knights.
Up 12-4 by halftime, the Lakers kept it up as Dwyer, with eight goals and two assists, and Navaroli, with six goals and four assists, both made it to double digits in points.
Not to be left out, Brogan scored four times and finished with a pair of assists as Newton had one goal and one assist. Anna mcGlynn, Olivia Dobrovosky and Elizabeth Wamp also earned assists.
Then the Lakers were back home Saturday to face Cicero-North Syracuse, and it was in terrific form on this day, racing out to a 13-4 lead by halftime and cruising from there to top the Northstars 18-7.
Dower, by herself, matched C-NS’s entire output with a career-best seven goals, adding an assist as Brogan produced four goals and three assists and Navaroli got three goals and three assists.
Newton notched two goals and two assists, with Hope Allyn and Ava Logan contributing single goals.
Westhill, to start a 3-0 week, won big at Mexico, 18-2, last Tuesday as Rebecca Gilhooley set a career mark with eight assists to go with her trio of goals.
Gianna Zerillo, Caroline Miller and Grace Winkler benefited from these passes, Zerrillo getting four goals as Miller and Winkler had three goals apiece. Reilly Geer and Ellie Masterpole each scored twice, Ashley Wiezalis adding a single goal.
That same night, Marcellus bashed Cazenovia 17-3, racing out to a 10-2 halftime advantage. Laura Canny and Anna Vetsch set the pace, Canny recording a career-best five goals and Vetsch scoring four times.
Not far behind them, Katy Wangsness and Sarah Hutchings earned three-goal hat tricks. Natalie Clere added a goal, while Casey Conklin and Madison Green each got two assists.
Yet the Mustangs’ season-opening three-game win streak halted Friday night, when reigning state Class A champion Christian Brothers Academy clamped down on Marcellus, handing it a 10-2 defeat.
Other than goals from Canny and Hutchings, the Mustangs got nothing, hurt by a rash of turnovers and bad possessions. Even with a solid defensive effort by Marcellus, CBA got three-goal outings from Bella Roberson and Gia Anthony.
On the weekend, Westhill and Marcellus both took on Shenendehowa, from Section II, with wildly varying results.
The Warriors flattened Shen 17-1, Miller producing six goals and three assists as Winkler scored four times. Zerillo and Gilhooley each had two goals and one assist, Geer also finding the net twice and Sarah Sheridan earning a goal.
Remarkably, that same Shen team would beat Marcellus 9-8 on Sunday afternoon, the game close all the way, but the Plainsmen edging out in front in the latter stages and holding on in the waning seconds.
Hutchings, in defeat, still managed three goals, with Vetsch and Canny each scoring twice. Lily Locastro had the other goals, with assists credited to Conklin and Green.
Back on Thursday, Westhill rolled past Chittenango 21-6, scoring 17 times in the first half alone as Gilhooley and Miller both netted four goals, Gilhooley adding five assists and Miller three assists.
Winkler also scored four times, with Geer, Julia Lasher and Ashley Wiezalis getting two goals apiece. Single goals went to Zerrillo, Kendra MacCaull and Sarah Sheridan.
Jordan-Elbridge was overwhelmed again on Friday in a 17-4 defeat to Tully, who raced out to a 13-2 halftime lead. Ireland Hill, Nicole Brown, Gabby Smart and Margo Miller each had one goal for the Eagles, Clara Derby adding an assist.
