Even as it made its way to a 4-1 start, the Liverpool boys lacrosse team hung in the shadow of its neighbors from Baldwinsville, who even with two defeats found itself no. 14 in the state Class A rankings.
The Warriors were unranked – but gave itself a chance to change that situation when it went to Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium last Tuesday and, with a stirring fourth-quarter comeback, stunned the Bees 13-12.
In recent years, B’ville had taken control of this neighborhood rivalry, and given that it had routed Fayetteville-Manlius 16-5 in its previous outing April 13, it figured to maintain that control – which was a mistake.
Liverpool matched the Bees in the early stages and then outscored them 5-2 in the second quarter to lead 8-5 at halftime, only to have B’ville break out early in the second half and surge to an 11-10 advantage.
Somehow, the Warriors regrouped and, in the fourth quarter, made its own big push, not just catching up but seizing a slim lead and hanging on with a series of big defensive stops.
Ryan McGowan led Liverpool with five goals and two assists. Ian Conroy scored three times, with Cade Clouthier and Kyle Caves getting two goals apiece. Devin Dewane added a goal and Cole Zaferakis was superb in the net, recording 15 saves.
In defeat, the Bees had Adam Davis score four times as Austin Bolton got two goals and three assists. Braden McCard got two goals, with Spencer Wirtheim earning a goal and three assists. Noah Ravas and Braden Lynch found the net as Brendan Wilcox had two assists.
There was little time for B’ville to turn this around, but it did so, staying at home on Thursday afternoon and, against its other neighbors from Cicero-North Syracuse, putting together a 15-7 victory over the Northstars.
It was tight for a while, C-NS only trailing 6-4 at intermission before the Bees wore down the Northstars in the second half by having five different players earn multiple goals.
Wirtheim, with three goals and two assists, led as Bolton and Wilcox both earned two goals and two assists. Davis and Quinn Peters also scored twice, with McCard getting a goal and two assists. Ravas and Garrett Petrelli scored, too.
Other than Chase Casler, who netted four goals, no C-NS player had multiple tallies. Anthony Cimino had a goal and two assists, with Matt Cramer and Josh Pickard also finding the net and Justin Griffith getting an assist.
Liverpool hoped to avoid a letdown Thursday night at F-M, and put up quite an effort, but its late comeback fell short as it lost a 13-11 decision to the Hornets.
They played to a 2-2 draw in the first quarter, but for the rest of the half F-M toyed with Liverpool’s defense, not letting up until it had built a 7-3 advantage.
Even when the Warriors fought back to within one, 9-8, entering the fourth quarter, the Hornets were able to maintain its poise and respond well in the homestretch.
Caves had four goals and one assist, with Fahey and Cade Clouthier each scoring twice. McGowan had a goal and two assists as Dewane got one goal and one assist.
Zaferakis finished with 10 saves, two less than the F-M duo of Jack Van Valkenburgh and Ben Hammond. The Hornets had Jack Hanley get five goals and one assist, with Mike Howe adding three goals and Zach Nestor earning two goals and three assists.
Before it faced B’ville, C-NS, who beat Liverpool on April 11, would see its four-game win streak halted last Tuesday by visiting West Genesee, who smacked down the Northstars 17-5.
All through the first half, the Northstars were unable to contain the Wildcats’ attack, which led to a 13-4 deficit that was far too difficult to overcome.
Joel Firth still scored three times, with Cramer and Conner Lynch getting one goal apiece and Cimino adding two assists. Between them, Joe Bartolo and Austin O’Hara had 12 saves as Anthony Dattellas (three goals, four assists) and Brad Cunningham (three goals, two assists) set the pace for WG.
On a busy Saturday, B’ville defeated Auburn 18-3, with 11 different goal-scorers, Wilcox and Ravas leading the way with three goals apiece. Wirtheim got four assists as Bolton had two goals and two assists, with Tangredi adding two goals and one assist.
Liverpool, hosting Rome Free Academy, outscored the Black Knights 23-10 to improve to 6-2, McGowan amassing nine goals and three assists in a career-best effort as Dewane, Caves, Conroy, Cade Clouthier, Aaron Clouthier and Jake Piseno got two goals apiece.
