Another local showdown in boys soccer loomed last Saturday when Jamesville-DeWitt faced Christian Brothers Academy at Alibrandi Stadium.
And at the end of a long and active week of games, the Red Rams still had enough in its reserves to put together a 2-0 victory over the Brothers.
One goal in each half proved enough, with J-D seeing Zach McBennett and Tshike David find the net, with an assist credited to Chris Barbuto. An effective Rams defense held CBA to just five shots, all stopped by Matt Gera.
Back on Tuesday, J-D faced Central Square, and it spilled into overtime before the Red Rams were able to get past the Redhawks 2-1.
Despite a host of opportunities in the first half, J-D could not put one past Central Square goalie Kody Haywood. And even when the Rams did break through in the second half, Bryce Koagel found the net for the Redhawks.
Only in the OT period did J-D pull it out, overcoming Haywood’s 12 saves as Jackson Carmen and Aiden Scott were credited with the goals. Matt Gera finished with six saves.
The game may have taken a toll on the Red Rams, though, for when it faced defending sectional Class A champion Fulton two days later, it lost 3-1 to the Red Raiders.
Carmen’s goal had J-D on the board in the first half, but Fulton still seized a 2-1 advantage and added another late tally as Mark Tallents, Donovan Duell and Wilder Reyes-Ramos scored for the visitors, overcoming Logan Roadarmel’s seven saves.
CBA was going through a rough stretch even before it met J-D, as evidenced by last Monday’s 3-1 home defeat to Cazenovia, where the Brothers, trailing 1-0 at halftime, got on the board with Andy Kohlbrenner’s goal, assisted by Dean Vlassis.
Yet the Lakers still got away, led by Joe Spires, who had two of Cazenovia’s three goals. That helped to overcome eight saves by Brothers goalie Rocco DeLorenzo.
Following the loss to J-D, CBA, with a 4-3-1 record, would visit Marcellus on Monday before games late this week against Phoenix and PSLA-Fowler, while J-D (7-3) had its own battle with PSLA-Fowler on Tuesday before a showdown with East Syracuse Minoa Thursday night.
