At least through the early stages of the season, the Baldwinsville boys lacrosse team had once again established its place atop the SCAC Metro division and area Class A ranks.
Only one side, Liverpool, had put together a similar start, bringing a 7-1 record to Tuesday night’s game at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, which proved a good one for a while before the Bees took charge in the second half and claimed a 15-10 victory.
Unlike other games this season where B’ville would quickly take charge, the Warriors did not let that happen. For two quarters Liverpool matched whatever the Bees threw at them, ultimately reaching the half in a 7-7 tie.
What made the difference was the way B’ville’s defense adjusted, making several key stops as, on the other end, the Bees remained consistent in converting its opportunities.
Keegan Lynch again led the way, scoring four times and adding a pair of assists. Trey Ordway and Ryan Hollenbeck were close behind, each getting three-goal hat tricks.
Anthony Menickelli converted twice, with single goals going to Jacob Czyz, Brayden Penafeather-Stevenson and Carson Dyl, plus an assist to Leo Johnson. Czyz also excelled at the face-off circle, converting on 18 of 26 draws.
For Liverpool, Jaylen Graham and Owen Michaud accounted for most of the production, each netting four goals as single goals went to Joe Sacco, who had four assists, and Dom Osbeck.
In Friday’s 12-4 victory over Cicero-North Syracuse at Bragman Stadium, the Bees, for the second time in April, handled the Northstars, limiting it to just one goal in each quarter as Nick Cary and Mason Clark combined to stop 13 of the 17 shots they faced.
On the other end, Dyl led with three goals and one assist. Ordway and Lynch both scored twice, Ordway adding two assists as Hollenbeck got a goal and three assists. Johnson, Czyz, Reese Gilmore and Jameson Gipe had single goals, Czyz successful in 12 of 18 face-offs.
This all led to Saturday’s highly-anticipated trip to the Rochester area to face Section V’s Victor, a clash of two undefeated sides who were both nationally ranked.
And it was here that the Bees would take its first loss, a 9-6 decision whose location and timing were less than ideal for the Bees given that it had played just the night before.
All through the contest, B’ville found itself chasing the Blue Devils, who steadily worked its way to a 5-3 halftime lead and, through its defense, never let the Bees get closer the rest of the way.
Just three different players got on the board for B’ville as Ordway, Dyl and Penafeather-Stevenson had two goals apiece, with Lynch held to a single assist,
There was little time for B’ville to fret too much because, on Tuesday, it hosts West Genesee in a rematch of their April 14 clash in Camillus won 8-4 by the Bees. A Thursday home game against Vestal would follow.
