CENTRAL NEW YORK – Between its own Huntington Tournament, its league opener and a trip to Rome Free Academy, the Baldwinsville field hockey team had plenty to work on during the early days of September.
On Labor Day weekend, the Huntington Tournament, named in honor of former coach Stacy Huntington, began with B’ville easily romping past Vernon-Verona-Sherrill by a 7-0 margin.
Four goals in the first half set the tone and the Bees kept on going, Bridget Roy recording a three-goal hat trick as Bella Nadzan, chimed in with three assists. Nazdan was later honored with her team’s Huntington Memorial Award for her contributions.
Julia Schultz converted twice, with Sydney Huhtala getting one goal and one assist. Skye Exware notched her first varsity goal.
Clinton beat New Hartford 4-3 in the other half of the opening round, so it was the Bees against the Warriors in Saturday’s championship game after the Spartans topped VVS 5-4 in the consolation game.
Again controlling matters from start to finish, B’ville put away Clinton 5-0, scoring twice in the first half and then more than doubing that total late.
This time, Schultz was at the forefront with her own three-goal hat trick, while Roy and Huhtala each got two assists. Emma Hollenbeck and Willow Smith earned their first goals of the season and Grace Hollenbeck contributed an assist.
Then it was the league opener last Wednesday against Liverpool, who had defeated Holland Patent 3-2 in an overtime shootout days after the Bees had topped the Golden Knights by that same margin in the Aug. 31 opener.
Unimpressed by this, B’ville would dominate against the Warriors, ultimately prevailing by a 4-0 margin.
It was Huhtala putting the Bees on the board and then assisting on Schultz’s goal late in the half. Not content with that 2-0 advantage, B’ville doubled it in the third quarter, Nazdan twice converting off passes from Schultz.
B’ville then went for five wins in a row against Rome Free Academy on Saturday and got it, defeating the Black Knights by a score of 3-1.
Even with RFA getting on the board in the first half, the Bees stormed in front 2-1 and doubled that margin late, seeing Schultz get one goal and one assist as Nazdan and Roy also converted. Nadia Kozman stopped six of seven shots she faced.
All of this was a prelude to Tuesday night’s big showdown with Cicero-North Syracuse at Bragman Stadium. Home games against Weedsport and Fairport would follow.
