ONONDAGA COUNTY – Unbeaten in 2020, the Cicero-North Syracuse field hockey team has found that it will have to travel a longer, and more rocky, path to glory this fall.

The Northstars endured back-to-back defeats to Baldwinsville on Sept. 14 and Fayetteville-Manlius three nights later, leading to

Only in last Monday’s game against Canastota did C-NS return to the win column, but even this proved a tough game as it held off the Raiders 2-1 thanks to goals by Chrissy Wagner and Gabby Wameling.

Coming into the game at 5-2, Canastota got a goal from Mia DiVeronica, and saw goalie Rebecca McClure turn away 14 of the Northstars’ 16 shots, though it didn’t prove enough.

Then it was C-NS facing Holland Patent on Friday afternoon, and with an impressive all-around effort the Northstars shut out the Golden Knights 3-0.

All was quiet except for a second quarter when C-NS struck for all of its goals. Wagner not only scored twice, she assisted on Shannon Brown’s tally as Wameling chimed in with an assist.

Liverpool could look upon all this and sense an opportunity to move ahead, knowing that it had played F-M to a 0-0 draw, a better result than C-NS got in its first go-round.

Meanwhile, the Warriors continued to excel against non-league foes, routing Oneida 6-1 in its only game last week with a deep and well-balanced attack.

Gianna Carbone scored twice, with Mia Berthoff getting a goal and two assists. Jewel Daniels, Emma Parker and Caitlyn Guilfoil also picked up goals as Cheyla Hill got credit for an assist.

The Warriors would take a 5-3-1 record into a Monday rematch with Baldwinsville, whom it lost to 4-0 early in September, and then would challenge C-NS Saturday after a Wednesday trip to Auburn.