Nine consecutive victories to close the regular season has the Baldwinsville boys lacrosse team well-positioned to earn its second Section III Class A title in three years.
As the top seed, the Bees had a bye directly into next Tuesday’s semifinals, where it would face no. 4 seed Cicero-North Syracuse at Bragman Stadium if the Northstars beat no. 5 seed Syracuse Saturday in the opening round.
C-NS did so, though the 16-7 margin did not reflect how close it was for a long while. Neither team could gain a serious edge during a 3-3 first half, even when the Northstars scored twice early in the second half, the Cougars answered it.
Only when Chase Casler found the net midway through the period to break a 5-5 tie did C-NS grab control. Conner Lynch scored, and then Josh Pickard and Anthony Cimino each notched two goals as part of a 6-0 run to close the period.
Just to be sure, the Northstars outscored Syracuse 5-2 in the fourth quarter, earning a third chance to take on Baldwinsville, whom it lost to twice during the regular season.
Earlier on Saturday, Liverpool, holding the no. 3 seed in Class A, met no. 6 seed Rome Free Academy in its opening-round sectional game, and it was over early as the Warriors jumped all over the Black Knights on the way to a 22-6 victory.
Brendan Mancuso, Cade Clouthier and Kyle Caves each scored twice in the first quarter as Liverpool built an 8-1 advantage, and then really ended matters with 10 unanswered goals in the second period.
Caves and Mancuso both finished with four goals, Caves adding three assists as Ryan McGowan got three goals and four assists. Jake Piseno had three goals and two assists, with Matt Jerman finding the net twice. Devin Dewane, Jacob Fahey, Ian Conroy, Aaron Clouthier and Ryan Earle each had one goal and one assist.
That sets up a sectional semifinal between Liverpool and no. 2 seed West Genesee. These same teams had met last Tuesday, and the Warriors were in prime position until a poor third quarter messed up all of those plans and the Warriors lost, 13-9, to the Wildcats.
A big second quarter helped Liverpool shake off a slow start and lead, 5-4, going into the break. But it turned around again in the third period, WG breaking out on offense in a 7-3 push that the hosts could not answer.
McGowan notched four goals, with Conroy getting three goals. Caves had a goal and four assists, with Aaron Clouthier getting one goal and one assists. Dewane, Fahey and Piseno also had assists.
C-NS had needed back-to-back wins to qualify for the sectional playoffs, getting one of them last Monday against Binghamton as it rolled past the Patriots 24-8.
So it all hinged on the Northstars beating Central Square a night later, and again C-NS pulled through, its offense overwhelming the Redhawks on the way to a 20-7 victory.
Erasing any doubts early, C-NS bolted to an 8-0 advantage by the end of the first quarter, and nursed that margin until the second half, when it pulled further away, helped by Anthony Cimino earning a career-best seven assists.
Joel Firth scored five times, with Pickard getting three goals. Casler and Lynch each got two goals, with Justin Griffith, Joe Flood, Mason Blakeman and Nolan Firth notching single goals.
While all this was going on, one more big test awaited state no. 15-ranked Baldwinsville last Monday before the playoffs started.
Hosting Vestal last Monday at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, B’ville was in a tight, tense battle before it got away late to beat the Golden Bears 12-9.
Vestal held the no. 14 state Class B ranking and an 11-4 record, and was able to keep pace most of the way with the Bees, only trailing by one, 9-8, at the end of the third quarter.
B’ville did get away a bit in the final period, with Mike Tangredi at the forefront as he poured in five goals, while Spencer Wirtheim had a goal and three assists.
Austin Bolton scored twice, adding an assist, while Adam Davis had one goal and one assist. Noah Ravas, Braden McCard and Quinn Peters had the other goals. Dan Stehle finished with seven saves.
