Depending on the perspective, the area’s high school boy soccer teams have wildly varying perspectives going into the 2019 season.
Baldwinsville is, of course, the defending Section III Class AA champions, with all the attention and pressure that it draws. But it also had to replace 18 graduating seniors, eight of them starters, from a group that reached the state final four in Middletown last fall.
Cicero-North Syracuse was the side B’ville defeated in that sectional final, and as it happened it was the Northstars that was the Bees’ initial SCAC Metro division opponent last Tuesday night at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium.
The home team dominated from the outset, B’ville converting three times in the first half and going on to shut out C-NS 4-0.
While limiting the Northstars to just three shots all night, the Bees had 15 attempts, two of which by Sungwon Choi that found the net as Tyler Johnson added a goal and assist and Stephen Foertch also scored.
For Liverpool, accustomed to plenty of its own success, the big story was the presence of a new head coach after Doug Nunn’s retirement.
Paul Bonus is now in charge for the Warriors, and things did not get off to a smooth start for him as Bethlehem (Section II) edged Liverpool 1-0 in the Aug. 30 opener. Goalie Dan Schaeber recorded three saves.
Then Bethlehem faced B’ville at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, and it also ended 1-0 – but not in the Eagles’ favor.
A goal by Johnson, assisted by Evan Smith and defender Jack Branigan, proved enough for B’ville as goalie Andrew Taylor stopped all eight shots he faced.
When Liverpool opened its SCAC Metro schedule at Corcoran last Thursday night, it cranked up its attack and gave Bonus his first head-coaching win, the Warriors defeating the Cougars 5-2.
Faisal Samim, with a pair of goals, led a deep, well-balanced Liverpool attack. Jack Pento, Jaiden Reynolds and Zach Haggett also scored, with Omid Ghulami, Justin Taub and Uttam Bhattarai earning one assist apiece. Schaeber finished with six saves.
C-NS looked to recover from its defeat to B’ville when it hosted its annual Optimist Tournament late last week. Against Marcellus on Friday night, the Northstars again suffered a setback, falling 2-0 to the Mustangs.
But the Northstars recovered and reached the win column on Saturday, edging New Hartford 1-0, though that still paled next to B’ville going to Fulton and taking out the Red Raiders 5-0.
This was the same Fulton side that claimed the sectional Class A title last fall, but the Bees dominated possession in this game, taking 15 shots and having five different players – Foertch, Brennan Walsh, Chase Hornsey, Malik Davis and Evan Smith – earn those five goals. Walsh and Foertch picked up assists, as did Johnson and Griffin Seeber.