The largest question in area high school boys soccer heading into 2019 centered around reigning state Class B champion Westhill, and whether it could stay on top after heavy graduation losses.
At first, things weren’t that difficult as the Warriors beat Section X’s Salmon River 3-0 in its Aug. 29 season debut, and then would face Rome Free Academy last Wednesday afternoon.
Making it back-to-back shutouts, the Warriors blanked the Black Knights 1-0, having Jackson Powers net the game’s only goal and then turning it over to the defense, who contained RFA as Ian Prebish, replacing Liam Robb in goal, recorded five saves.
Few sides are better positioned to go after Westhill than Skaneateles. To test itself on Labor Day weekend, Skaneateles traveled to the Albany Area and faced two Section II Class AA opponents.
The first part was rough, with the Lakers falling 5-0 to Shenendehowa, But Skaneateles turned it around on Aug. 31 to edge Saratoga Springs 1-0. Defenders Alex Arefyev and Landon Hellwig were superb and helped Andrew Neumann (who had eight saves) preserve the slim margin gained when Jack Donovan scored off a feed from Tylar Moss.
Back home, Skaneateles leaned on Moss in a big way against Rochester’s Bishop Kearney (Section V) last Tuesday night, topping the Kings 4-0 at Hyatt Stadium.
Only ahead 1-0 at halftime, the Lakers got away from Kearney as Moss not only netted three goals for a hat trick, he assisted on Owen Cheney’s goal. Hellwig, Gavin Cheney and Colin Gaglione each had one assist as Neumann, to get the shutout, had to make nine saves.
Then Skaneateles handled Blessed Virgin Mary 6-0 on Thursday, led by Owen Cheney, who had two goals and one assist. Gaglione, Ryan Willard, Cooper Purdy and Andrew Moss had the other goals, with Hellwig, Arefyev and Tylar Moss earning assists.
West Genesee began Aug. 29 hosting Central Square and earned a 1-1 draw with the Redhawks. Trailing 1-0 in the second half, Josh Rialmuto’s goal, assisted by Tom Shields, pulled the Wildcats even, and 20 minutes of overtime could not settle matters.
Then WG routed Fabius-Pompey 7-1 a day later, Shields proving difficult to contain as he notched two goals and two assists. Jesper Behr and David Puma each had one goal and one assist, with Josh Rimauldo, Ben Paoli and Sean Leonard also earning goals.
In its SCAC Metro division opener on Thursday night, the Wildcats won again, handling Nottingham 4-1. Shields led the way, scoring twice and adding an assist as Paoli and Puma also found the net. Jadin Lyle and Justin Klaczko earned assists.
Solvay has a new head coach, Terrance Case, and he had a successful debut on Aug. 29 as the Bearcats piled up goals in a 7-2 victory over the Onondaga Tigers.
It was Jason Knickerbocker earning a three-goal hat trick, adding an assist. David O’Toole scored twice and got an assist, while David Booth and Nick Kumar got single goals and Ty Marnell finished with five assists.
Prevailing again last Tuesday night, Solvay edged LaFayette 3-2, mainly due to the work of David Achull, who netted all three of the Bearcats’ goals as Dennis Achull and Dan Mrowinski picked up assists.
Bishop Ludden, expected to challenge for sectional Class D honors, claimed a local rivalry in its opener last Tuesday night, the Gaelic Knights edging Bishop Grimes 3-2.
The show belonged to Ludden forward Michael Gaughan, who was credited with all three of his team’s goals, earning a hat trick as Antonio Scutari and Liam Casey had one assist apiece.
Ludden then lost by that same 3-2 margin to Phoenix on Thursday, with Casey and Mike Gagin earning goals, but the Firebirds seeing Sean Stevens score twice off feeds from Adam Hahn, who had the other goal.
Then Ludden took on Solvay Saturday afternoon, a thrilling game that went 3-2 in the Gaelic Knights’ favor.
Charlie Colella keyed Ludden’s effort, not only netting a goal, but assisting on scoring plays by Gaughan and Casey. That negated the goals put up by Achull and Ed Matysuk for Solvay, with Knickerbocker adding an assist.
Jordan-Elbridge dropped its season opener 3-0 to Manlius-Pebble Hill, despite 17 saves from goalie Keegan Ferris, but then beat Port Byron/Union Springs 4-2 on Thursday as Mike Meyer got two goals and one assist. Brayam Gonzalez and Owen Barrigar also scored, with Richard Hill adding an assist and Ferris getting 13 saves.