ONONDAGA COUNTY – Off to a 3-3 start, the West Genesee boys lacrosse team had shown plenty of promise, but lacked a victory that could truly announce its intention of returning to prominence.
All of that changed last Thursday night at Mike Messere Field, where the Wildcats hosted undefeated Liverpool, built an early advantage and held on late to edge the Warriors 11-10.
Liverpool arrived with a 6-0 record, but WG cared little for this, playing its best first half of the season while steadily earning an 8-4 advantage. Scout Oudemool scored twice and Liam Burns picked up three assists.
All through the second half, Liverpool, led by Aaron Clouthier and Owen Michaud (three goals each), ate into the margin, and almost caught up at the end.
To hang on, the Wildcats needed 11 saves from goalie Shane Staudt to support a well-balanced attack where Burns, Ryan Mahoney and Ben Chamberlain each matched Oudemool’s two-goal output.
Jack Mellen had one goal and one assist, while Nolan Belotti, Charles Lockwood and Teshale Kelly also converted, overcoming 16 saves by Liverpool goalie Owen Salanger.
WG’s game with Fayetteville-Manlius last Tuesday was postponed and moved to May 17. Then, after beating Liverpool, the Wildcats met Watertown on Saturday, the Cyclones off to its own 5-0 start.
Showing its growth, WG avoided a letdown from the Liverpool game, going in front after a scoreless first quarter and then, with the issue still in doubt, outscoring Watertown 4-2 in the fourth quarter to close out a 10-6 victory.
Lockwood’s trio of goals paced an attack where Oudemool and Belotti both scored twice. Burns had four assists as he joined Mellen and Chris Mathews in the goal-scoring column. Kelly and Zach Ryan added assists.
All through the early portion of this season, the West Genesee girls lacrosse team has existed on a proverbial ledge, either winning or losing close, hard-fought contests.
One of those was an April 16 defeat to Baldiwnsville where it surrendered a lead late in regulation – something it would turn around in the most fitting way possible to beat Fayetteville-Manlius 11-10.
Courtney Reynolds, Cara Major, Olivia Blanding and Molly Doran all scored in the game’s first four minutes, but WG’s 4-0 edge was erased by F-M following an early time-out.
From there, neither side led by more than two goals, and the Hornets, led by Julianna Cogliandro (four goals) and Ava Angello (three goals, two assists) inched in front 10-9 late in the second half.
Experienced in playing down the stretch by this point, the Wildcats kept its poise, tied it when Reis Pagan found the net with 3:39 left, then got the ball back and worked until Blanding netted the game-winner with 23 seconds to play.
Major finished with three goal as Reynolds had two goals and two assists, Pagan also getting two goals. Rylee Gonzalez had a goal and two assists. Allie Hanlon finished with eight saves.
With no time to rest, WG turned around and, going to Liverpool Thursday night, finally had a game that didn’t get decided at the wire, comfortably beating the Warriors 11-6.
Only up 5-4 at halftime, the Wildcats got away in the latter stages with Blanding at the forefront as she netted three goals and added two assists.
Gonzalez, Miller and Pagan each scored twice, with Ally Major and Cara Major earning single goals. Hanlon was brilliant in the net, turning away 19 of Liverpool’s 25 shots.
