ONONDAGA COUNTY – As it prepares to defend its Section III Class A title, the Cicero-North Syracuse girls lacrosse team is quite aware of the struggles it has gone through.

Perhaps, though, all that adversity is leading to some confidence at just the right time, with the Northstars winning a pair of tough ones last week, including Thursday’s 8-6 victory over West Genesee.

It was a score nearly identical to their first encounter April 26, which ended 7-5 in C-NS’s favor, and once more defense helped push the Northstars to a favorable result.

The Northstars trailed, 4-3, at halftime, but then netted three unanswered goals and moving in front before the Wildcats tied it again, 6-6.

For the game’s last 16-plus minutes, though, C-NS never let the Wildcats convert, so the pair of goals it scored four minutes apart down the stretch proved enough.

Three different Northstars- Brooke Molchanoff, Mackenzie Prentice and Sophia Nesci – scored twice, with single goals going to Tori Iannotti and Gabby Putman. Nicole Mirra, in goal, recorded seven saves.

Having dropped close games to other opponents this spring, the Northstars found itself in another one last Tuesday against Westhill, but did just enough to beat the Warriors 11-10.

Westhill would make its push behind four goals from Kara Rosenberger and two-goal outings from Grace Winkler and Rosemary Mahoney.

Matching those numbers, Iannotti led C-NS, scoring four times as Prentice and Molchanoff both got two goals. Nesci had a goal and two assists as Putman and Sam Klein also converted. Shea Firth earned an assist.

Liverpool was in prime position midway through its own game with West Genesee, but could not hold on to its advantage, taking a 12-10 defeat to the Wildcats.

Fired up at the outset, Liverpool grabbed a 3-0 advantage, and then, when WG threatened, restored the margin until it led 7-3 in the waning moments of the first half.

Here, though, the Wildcats’ defense clamped down and kept the Warriors off the board for more than 10 minutes as it pulled even, 7-7. An exchange of goals followed until, at 9-9, consecutive goals by Julia Miller, Reis Pagan and Sophia Snyder gave WG the lead for good.

Mia Berthoff netted three goals for Liverpool as Maggie Tifft, Gianna Carbone and Addyson Graham had two goals apiece. Michelle Sacco got the other goal, Clara Maracle earning nine saves, two less than Wildcats counterpart Allie Hanlon.

Now, though, Liverpool would take its shot Thursday against a Baldwinsville side that beat it 24-7 the first time these two rivals met late in April.

The rematch at Pelcher-Arcaro Sttadium was far different, at least in terms of close competition as the Warriors were within close range most of the night and did a better job against the Bees’ defense.

Liverpool lost, but only by a 15-11 margin as Tifft amassed five goals. Geary had three goals and one assist, while Carbone scored twice and added an assist. Berthoff had one goal and one assist.

B’ville won this game with its depth, with nine different goal-scorers and five of them finding the net multiple times as Brianna Peters (three goals) and Carlie Desimone (two goals, five assists) led the way.

In another tight game on Saturday, Liverpool lost, 13-12, to Jamesville-DeWitt in double overtime, a game it led most of the way before the Red Rams rallied, forced the extra periods and then won it.

Berthoff and Tifft both netted four goals, with Carbone and Caitlyn Guilfoil getting two goals apiece. Berthoff also had two assists, with goalie Gianna Tantalo earning eight saves.

And all of this was before Liverpool would meet C-NS in Monday night’s regular-season finale at Bragman Stadium.