It proved a festival for area high school girls lacrosse late last week, with three reigning Section III champions crossing paths as they remain in pursuit of more glory this spring.
Fayetteville-Manlius, who had moved up to no. 2 in the latest state Class B rankings, would host Christian Brothers Academy on Thursday night and then welcome Jamesville-DeWitt on Saturday afternoon.
The Hornets would put together a superb all-around performance against CBA, steadily building its margin throughout the evening and eventually defeating the Brothers 15-7.
Try as it could, CBA was unable to string together goals, and F-M could, with the sister duo of Katie Shanley (five goals) and Kiera Shanley (three goals) accountable for more than half of the Hornets’ production.
Ava Angello, aside from her draw skills, had three goals and one assist, with Madeline Herodes adding two goals. Kaylee Steigerwald had a goal and two assists, with Annie Steigerwald getting three assists. Maddie Noel had one goal and one assist.
No one on CBA’s side was able to score more than twice, with Bella Roberson and Gia Anthony getting those two goals. Single tallies went to Riley Taylor, Tatumn Kohlbrenner and Anna Ziemba.
Saturday brought J-D to F-M, and perhaps it was here that all the tough games the Hornets had faced caught up with them, for struggles on defense allowed the Red Rams, with its inspired effort, to snatch a 14-12 victory and its own neighborhood bragging rights.
Both sides had plenty of early production, but J-D had a bit more of it, inching into a 9-8 lead. Then it did a terrific job answering every time F-M wanted to gain control.
Lindsay MacLachlan, with four goals and one assist, led a well-balanced attack. Ana Dieroff and Lily Loewenguth each scored three times, with Riley LaTray and Kailey McKenna both earning two goals and one assist. Emma Kesselring added a goal.
Annie Steigerwald and Kiera Shanley both netted four goals for the Hornets, Steigerwald adding two assists. Katie Shanley had two goals and one assist, with Tomlin Cicci and Kaylee Steigerwald earning the other goals.
All of this followed last Tuesday’s game at West Genesee, where again F-M asserted its superiority in this long-time rivalry with a fine all-around performance in a 14-7 victory over the Wildcats.
Having won 13-9 when they first meet April 11, the Hornets felt less stress from WG this time, even after Matisyn Schaut and Courtney Reynolds scored to put WG within one after trailing 4-3 early.
F-M kept answering, though, and was up 8-5 at halftime. Then the Hornets’ defense took over, limiting the Wildcats to just two goals in the second half,.
No one on WG’s defense could stop Annie Steigerwald, who led F-M with five goals and four assists as Kiera Shanley added four goals. Kaylee Steigerwald converted twice as Angello and Katie Shanley had the other goals.
As that went on, CBA was defeating Homer 13-3, controlling matters from the outset and spreading its production around.
Roberson and Anthony led with three goals apiece Kohlbrenner and Gracie Britton both scored twice, with Ziemba getting a goal and two assists. Single goals also went to Taylor and Bella Cannizzo.
As CBA was falling to F-M, J-D was having its own interesting test at Central Square, leading most of the way, but having to work until the end to beat the Redhawks 13-9.
Despite a 4-8 record, Central Square didn’t let the game get away, so the Red Rams needed four goals from Dieroff and three goals from LaTray as McKenna scored twice. MacLachlan had a goal and three assists, with Emily Bobrek, Jordan Archer and Lily Loewenguth also finding the net.
East Syracuse Minoa lost 11-8 to Cortland last Tuesday night, the Purple Tigers doubling up the Spartans as it built an 8-4 advantage by halftime and then held on in the latter stages.
Julianna Barton had three goals to lead ESM. Sophia Orlando and Katherine Andrus each scored twice, with Kelly Thomas adding a goal and assist. Orlando and Rileigh White added assists. Hannah Partigianoni led Cortland with four goals and two assists.
Then ESM fell to Auburn 20-9 two nights later, the Maroons up 14-4 by halftime. Andrus and Barton had three goals apiece, with Emma Biel scoring twice. White had a goal and two assists.
