CENTRAL NEW YORK – Just one week remains in the regular season, and the Cazenovia field hockey team can safely say it has done its work to give itself a chance at championship glory.
Of course, the Lakers already have a title in the books, having clinched the Onondaga High School League regular-season crown with wildly contrasting wins in the early-October warmth.
On a rain-soaked surface at Burton Street Elementary last Tuesday afternoon, Cazenovia hosted Port Byron/Union Springs and battled its way to a 2-1 victory over the Panthers.
They were scoreless until the Lakers pushed across single goals in the second and third quarters, one each by Ainsley Schug and Emily Forrett as assists were credited to Sammy Sparks and Reid McMurtrie.
Gabby Sennett’s fourth-quarter goal got Port Byron/Union Springs closer, but that was one of the few Panthers chances as it only had two shots all game and Maria Burns had to make 10 saves to keep it within range.
Two days later, Cazenovia went for eight in a row against Cato-Meridian, the team it beat Sept. 17 to give head coach Lorraine Scheftic her 300th victory.
Here, the league title was clinched in a game far more lopsided than the one before it, the Lakers getting to double digits on the scoreboard as it routed the Blue Devils 10-0.
Five of those goals were put up in the first quarter, and Cazenovia didn’t let up from there, seeing Nadia Segal earn the first three-goal hat trick of her varsity career.
McMurtrie chimed in with a pair of goals, while Sparks, Hadley Schug, Riley Newcomb, Fiona Larkin and Margaret Huftalen all took turns converting, too, and Ainsley Schug added an assist.
Then it was off to the O’Connor Tournament at Camden, which began on Friday afternoon with the Lakers taking on Auburn and winning its ninth in a row, shutting out the Maroons 2-0.
Even though Auburn has vastly improved this fall and arrived with an 8-3 record, Cazenovia struck with a pair of goals from McMurtrie, each of them assisted by Sparks, and didn’t let the Maroons answer.
Vestal handled host Camden 4-0 in the other opening-round game, so the Lakers and Golden Bears would meet in Saturday’s title game.
Mostly, this proved another showcase for Cazenovia’s defense. Tara Frost, Ainsley Schug, Emma Tyler and Sophie Clancy led a back line that kept Vestal off the scoreboard until the closing minutes of regulation.
Thus, the Lakers lost, 1-0, but still found itself at 10-3 overall going into Tuesday’s game against Weedsport. On Thursday night, the Lakers will travel to Baldwinsville, possibly with a chance to spoil the Bees’ hopes for an undefeated season.
