Not even a 6-2 record in the first half of the regular season could push the Liverpool boys lacrosse team into the state Class A rankings, so the Warriors knew that more wins were needed to make a larger impression.
And that meant going to Mike Messere Field last Thursday night to challenge defending sectional Class A champion West Genesee, a team bent on bouncing back from a lopsided defeat to Baldwinsville earlier in the week.
Nearly pulling it off, Liverpool rallied from an early deficit, only to see its potent attack dry up in the homestretch just enough to take a 14-13 defeat to the Wildcats.
Even as it fell behind 5-3 in a fast-paced first quarter, the Warriors were finding success against a normally tough WG defense, and kept on attacking as it refused to led the Wildcats seize full control.
By the time they reached the final period, it was tied, 12-12, and Liverpool had plenty of great chances late, only to get turned away as WG goalie Luke Staudt finished with 19 saves.
Ryan McGowan continued his recent tear with three goals and four assists. Aaron Clouthier scored four times, with Devin Dewane getting two goals. Kyle Caves had a goal and three assists as Cade Clouthier, Jacob Fahey and Ian Conroy also converted.
Between them, Cole Zaferakis and Liam O’Neil had 17 saves, but WG had Anthony Dattellas earn five goals and two assists, with Brad Cunningham getting two goals and five assists as Max Rosa and Riley Small also found the net twice.
Liverpool preceded that game with last Tuesday’s 12-8 win over Syracuse at LHS Stadium, a game that was tight most of the way as the Cougars won enough face-offs and ground balls to control the game’s tempo.
Not until the Warriors outscored Syracuse 5-3 in the fourth quarter could it get away and McGowan had much to do with it, pouring in five goals and adding three assists as Devin Dewane scored four times.
Caves, along with his three assists, earned a pair of goals, while Fahey had one goal and one assist. Aaron Clouthier had two assists as single assists went to Conroy, Cade Clouthier and Jake Piseno.
As that went on, Cicero-North Syracuse traveled to Fayetteville-Manlius and led the state Class B no. 4-ranked Hornets early, yet could not sustain it as it lost by that exact same 12-8 margin.
Flying out of the gate, the Northstars seized a 3-1 lead by the end of the first quarter, only to see F-M, led by Zach Nestor (three goals) and Mike Howe (two goals, two assists), go in front 6-5 by halftime.
Hanging close, C-NS would have nice balance in its attack as Josh Pickard, Justin Griffith and Conner Lynch each find the net twice, with Joel Firth getting one goal and one assist. Chase Casler had the other goal and Anthony Cimino earned an assist.
Only trailing 8-6 with one quarter left, the Northstars were unable to make a late comeback, wasting a fine effort from goalie Joe Bartolo, who finished the night with 17 saves.
To get back to the .500 mark, C-NS needed to defeat Syracuse Thursday night, and did so with ease, blanking the Cougars in the first half on the way to an 8-0 halftime advantage and going on to a 12-4 victory.
Firth led the attack, netting three goals and adding an assist. Pickard and Lynch each scored twice, with Cimino and Matt Cramer both getting one goal and one assist. Mason Blakeman, Andrew Herrera and Aidan Longley also found the net.
On Saturday, Liverpool struggled in a 19-9 defeat to LaFayette, this despite five goals from Caves and four assists from McGowan. Dewane scored twice as the Lancers got five goals apiece from Trevor Hill and Zach Delaney, plus six assists from Kaleb Benedict.
This is not what the Warriors wanted as, on Tuesday, it would look to avenge its earlier defeat to C-NS at LHS Stadium. The Northstars also visit West Genesee Thursday just as Liverpool hosted Baldwinsville.
