CENTRAL NEW YORK – Weather issues had allowed the Cazenovia boys lacrosse team to sneak in another full week of preparation for its toughest stretch of the regular season.
Over the course of six days, the Lakers would take on three high-quality opponents, two of which were direct rivals for supremacy in the area Class D ranks.
First was last Monday’s showdown with reigning sectional champion Westhill, a tense game where Cazenovia got off to a terrific start, but could not sustain it in a 9-6 loss to the Warriors.
Cazenovia’s attack clicked while building a 4-1 first-quarter lead. But Westhill countered with four unanswered goals in the second period and took the lead for good.
Throughout the second half, Cazenovia tried to regain its early magic but could not do so, seeing Warriors goalie Owen Mahar record 11 saves to prevent a comeback.
Brody Coleman and Jack Wright had two goals apiece. James LaFever and Forrest Ives had the other goals, with Chris Vecchiarelli winning 10 of 17 face-offs. For the Warriors, Kyle MacCaull had three goals, with Kyle Rosenberger adding two goals and one assist.
Just as instructive was Wednesday’s game against undefeated Christian Brothers Academy at Alibrandi Stadium, where the Lakers were the better team most of the way, yet still fell to the Brothers 12-9.
It was all due to the third quarter. Prior to that, the game was played at Cazenovia’s pace as it didn’t let CBA quicken the tempo, patiently working the ball around and converting enough to inch in front, 5-4, going to the break.
But everything changed in the third period. The Brothers won a series of face-offs and scored seven times, not letting up until it had built an 11-6 advantage.
Battling to the end, the Lakers saw Coleman light it up with six goals as Jack Wright scored twice and Vecchiarelli had the other goal. LaFever added an assist as, for the Brothers, Dan Anderson (four goals) and Joe Papa (three goals) led the way.
Trying hard to turn this around in Saturday’s game against Marcellus, the Lakers could not quite do so, taking a narrow 7-6 defeat to the Mustangs.
Here, Cazenovia led long stretches of the game, only to get shut out in the homestretch as Marcellus inched in front, led by Chris Doshna’s four goals. Wright had three goals to pace the Lakers, but Coleman was held to one goal and one assist, matching Ives, with Vecchiarelli also converting. Mustangs goalie Quenten Polkowski had 16 saves, twice Tucker Ives’ total.
Chittenango lost last Tuesday to Skaneateles, 19-9, unable to keep up with a well-balanced attack where Ethan Hunt (four goals, one assist), Colin Morrissey (three goals, three assists) and Sean Kerwick (two goals, five assists) also had big point totals.
But the Bears turned around Thursday and beat Fulton 21-9, mostly with a three-man show. Vince Lazzaro scored eight times and got two assists, with Connor Meeks-Vaughn getting six goals and four assists as Brandon Barnard banged out nine assists to go with his pair of goals.
Then, in Friday’s 21-8 win over Holland Patent, Chittenango got eight goals from Meeks-Vaughn as Barnard gained five goals and three assists. Jack Lamphere had a three-goal hat trick, with Lazarro and Ryan Moesch adding two goals apiece.
