A spring that has seen the Cazenovia boys lacrosse team face more struggles than it has for much of this decade is nearing its conclusion.
Yet even amid these low points, the Lakers have found bright moments, as it did last Saturday at Cazenovia College’s Christakos Field where, on Senior Day, it made a stirring second-half comeback to beat the Carthage Comets 8-6.
Even with Carthage making the long road trip and an early-morning start time, it was the Comets controlling the first half, moving out in front behind Josh Demko’s three-goal hat trick.
Yet Cazenovia kept it from getting too far away and, trailing 6-2 at the break, cranked up its defense, able to blank the Comets as goalie Ian Fostveit worked his total to 11 saves.
Netting five unanswered goals in the third quarter, the Lakers grabbed a 7-6 lead, and added an insurance tally in the final period as Ty Freyer and Cole Basic both found the net three times.
Brian Pezzi earned the other two goals, with Brody Coleman piling up four assists and Tom Fabbioli adding an assist.
Before this, Cazenovia had an opportunity for a quality road win at Homer last Tuesday night, and played strong defense most of the way, but just didn’t produce enough on the other end in a 9-6 defeat to the Trojans.
Each half followed the same pattern, with Cazenovia trading goals with Homer early, only to go silent. In fact, the Lakers were shut out in the second quarter after a 3-3 tie, and blanked again in the final period, unable to overcome a 7-6 deficit.
Basic and Cody Dickinson each got two goals, with single tallies going to Freyer and Gannon Houghton. Coleman added an assist. Everything else got turned away, Homer goalie Colin Perks stopping 12 of the 18 shots he faced.
On the Trojans’ side, Jake Calabro, with two goals and three assists, led the way, Dante Patriarco adding three goals and one assist as Dylan Yacavone got two goals and two assists.
It would not get easier for the Lakers since state Class C no. 3-ranked Christian Brothers Academy showed up on Thursday night. And the Brothers maintained its hot play, defeating Cazenovia 15-3.
All that the Lakers could manage was a single goal in the first half, contained as CBA built a 9-1 advantage. Eventually, Colin Kelly would get four goals, with Wyatt Auyer adding three goals and one assist as Ryan Mackenzie got two goals and three assists.
On Cazenovia’s side, Basic, Freyer and Dickinson had goals, with assists going to Coleman and Pezzi. Fostveit made 13 saves as CBA counterpart Z.J. Shanin earned eight saves.
Chittenango has undergone plenty of its own struggles, and did not get out of them last Tuesday as state Class D no. 5-ranked Marcellus defeated the Bears 21-7.
A 10-goal first quarter put the Mustangs in control, and it would eventually have 10 different players score at least once, with Emmett Barry (four goals, one assist) and Liam Tierney (three goals) at the forefront.
When Chittenango was able to convert, Shane Kolb did so three times for a hat trick, with Caleb Barnard and Billy Demand getting two goals apiece. Zeph Scott added an assist.
Chittenango (2-12) and Cazenovia (3-12) finish the season squaring off against each other on Tuesday night.
