Years of near-misses in the Section III Class B playoffs had the Cazenovia boys soccer team in a hungry mood for the 2020 season, even if the effort would not have a championship payoff.
With all sectional and state tournaments canceled, the Lakers were just glad to be back on the field again, enduring two weeks of practices that started on Sept. 21.
Finally in game action last Tuesday night at the Sean Googin Sports Complex, Cazenovia nearly reached double digits on the scoreboard, blasting the Black Knights 9-1.
It was 5-0 by halftime and the Lakers didn’t let up one bit, eventually having eight different goal-scorers as only Lucca Ferreira found the net twice.
Dan Millson and Jack McNerney both finished with one goal and one assist, while Gannon Houghton, Logan Comfort, Max Michael, A.J. Rothfeld and Ben McPherson each scored, too. Dylan Albicker contributed an assist.
For the Cazenovia girls soccer team, the season started at Tully, with the same successful outcome as these Lakers, with its own balanced attack, rolled to a 6-1 victory.
Goals were credited to five different players – Julia Reff, Lili Gavitt, Katie Rajkowski, Caitlin Smithers and Maddy Raymond, with Reff and Gavitt each adding an assist. Hannah Ruddy, playing in goal, recorded five saves.
Things will get busier for both Cazenovia sides this week, with the games including the girls Lakers facing its neighbors from Chittenango on Saturday afternoon.
Chittenango had also opened last Tuesday night – and also won, the Bears toying with Faith Heritage on the way to defeating the Saints 7-1.
Above all, the game was a showcase for Chittenango forward Madison Wagner, who burned Faith Heritage for a three-goal hat trick plus a pair of assists.
Help came from Maryanna Garcia, who converted twice, along with single goals from Emily Moon and Morgan Velardi as Moon also picked up an assist.
At LaFayette two days later, the Bears handled the Lancers by that same 7-1 margin, this time with Moon earning the three-goal hat trick. Garcia again netted two goals, the others going to Wagner and Brooke Walters.
Aside from Cazenovia, The Chittenango girls welcome Homer and Bishop Grimes this week, with the boys Bears on the road to take on the Trojans and Cobras in the wake of last week’s pair of wins.
Blanking LaFayette 2-0 in the opener, goals came in the first half, with Arthur Paul converting once and assisting on Ethan Robles’ tally. Andrew Graff earned the assist on Paul’s goal as Chittenango held the Lancers to just one shot all game.
Up against Faith Heritage on Saturday, the Bears were shut down in a 2-0 defeat, with Devon Burns earning both goals for his side and Saints goalie Caleb Lucero superb as he stopped all 14 of the Bears’ shots.
