CENTRAL NEW YORK – Early-season setbacks had left the Marcellus and Westhill girls soccer teams with plenty of room for growth long before they ever got to renew their long-time rivalry.
The Mustangs, coming off back-to-back defeats to Christian Brothers Academy (3-1) and Clinton (4-0), met Homer last Monday and returned to the win column, blanking the Trojans 2-0.
A goal in each half from Jadyn Baker proved more than enough. Katie MacLachlan assisted on one goal and Sara Mielnicki assisted on the other, with Marcellus goalie Josephine Leubner able to stop all nine shots she faced.
Westhill, meanwhile, had split its first two games, including a loss to Liverpool, before its own match with CBA Sept. 9 where, unlike Marcellus, it proved effective against the Brothers, roaring to a 4-1 victory.
It was over by halfitme, the Warriors accumulating a 3-0 advantage as Hannah Goodness scored twice. Jules Bleskoski and Hannah Thayer had the other goals, with Kayln Battista contributing an assist.
Then it was Westhill taking on Skaneateles last Tuesday night, and the good play continued as a dominant first half led the Warriors to a 3-0 shutout of the Lakers.
All of Westhill’s production came in the first half with Elle Herrera, Molly Dorfman and Lily Kinsella each picking up a goal. Two assists went to Maya Wollen as Battista also got an assist.
Meanwhile, the Warriors’ defense was steady and solid, limiting Skaneateles to four shots, all stopped by Kate Bendall.
Making it four in a row Wednesday at Phoenix, the Warriors romped past the Firebirds 4-1, with the four goals coming from four different players – Herrera, Battista, Kinsella and Thayer. Lauryn Thornton joined Thayer and Kinsella in the assist column.
Skaneateles traveled to Liverpool last Thursday and managed to take that game into overtime, only to have those other Warriors convert late in the extra periods to prevail 2-1.
Trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Lakers pulled even with Grace Bailey’s second-half goal, assisted by Kathleen Reed, and it stayed that way for the rest of regulation.
One OT period went without a goal, but just before time ran out Mya Bailey, already with a goal for Liverpool, struck again for the game-winner. Bridget Carroll, in defeat, made seven saves.
Westhill went from there to the Wright National Soccer Complex in Oneonta where, on Saturday, it played Baldwinsville to a 1-1 draw.
Neither team scored in regulation. Then, in the first OT, Kinsella found the net and the Warriors led 1-0, only to have Amelia Ponto answer on a free kick for B’ville midway through the second OT.
Back home, Skaneateles was flattening Chittenango 10-0, with six goals in the first half and four more after intermission as Maeve McNeil found the net three times for a hat trick.
Ramsgard not only got two goals, she earned three assists. Kathryn Morrissey also scored twice as Ella Bobbett got a goal and two assists. Isabella Arroyo had one goal and one assist, Lillian Kilz added a goal.
