CENTRAL NEW YORK – With the busy part of the regular season behind them, area high school boys lacrosse team could now hone in and focus on what they would need to do when the Section III playoffs start.
Westhill, for the second time in as many weeks, found itself in a close battle with General Brown last Tuesday night, but did just enough to edge the Lions 11-10.
A 20-6 win over Chittenango on Friday proved easier, the Warriors seeing Kyle Rosenberger amass four goals and five assists as Emmet Starowicz had five goals and one assist. Owen Etoll also scored four times as Kyle MacCaull and Luke Gilmartin each had two goals, Gilmartin adding a pair of assists.
Skaneateles, perhaps the favorite among Class D sides and owning the no. 6 state ranking, got a glimpse at how much the Jordan-Elbridge program had improved under first-year coach Shaun Smith, even as it was beating the Eagles 13-8.
When it raced out to a 7-3 halftime advantage, the Lakers may have expected to pull further away, but J-E played Skaneateles on close to even terms during the second half.
Sean Kerwick led the Lakers, scoring five times and adding an assist. Colin Morrissey had two goals and two assists, with Jeff McCrone and Jack Weeks both getting two goals and one assist. Dominick Caraccio got a goal, with Jack Torrey and Cooper Morrissey both earning two assists.
On the Eagles’ side, Nixon Karcz got three goals and one assist. Joe LaFleur and Wyatt Werth both scored twice, Nick Long adding a single goal as he and Wade Brunelle had two assists apiece. Austin Brunelle made 11 saves in goal as Skaneateles counterpart Luke Renaud had 12 saves.
Far more concerning to the Lakers was what happened at LaFayette on Thursday, where it surrendered a late lead and lost, 11-10, to the Lancers.
Just 4-8 going into the game, LaFayette trailed 10-9 late in regulation, but tied it on Christian DeJoseph’s goal and saw Brett Bucktooth put one past Renaud for what proved to be the game-winner.
Prior to this, Kerwick and Morrissey had both netted four goals, with Hunt scoring twice. No other Skaneateles player had a goal, though, as Renaud, who had 14 saves, joined Torrey, McCrone and Charlie Carbonaro in the assist column.
Marcellus, holding the no. 9 state Class D ranking, rolled in last Tuesday’s game against Chittenango, spreading its production around in a 16-4 victory over the Bears.
Adam Rayfield and Chris Doshna each scored four times. Doryn LeClair had two goals and three assists, with Donovan Fraher also converting twice. Marcus Darminio, Nick Rayfield and Sam Barney each had one goal and one assist, with Brady Hubbard also converting.
Facing state Class C no. 4-ranked Christian Brothers Academy on Thursday night, the Mustangs put up a strong effort, but lost to the Brothers 15-10.
CBA jumped out 5-0 in the first quarter and, though Marcellus played on even terms the rest of the way, it never could make up that ground.
Adam Rayfield netted three goals, with Nick Rayfield joined in the two-goal column by Darminio and Doshna. LeClair had a goal and three assists as four CBA players – Andrew Kohlbrenner, Dan Anderson, Seamus Nicholson and Joe Papa – had three goals apiece.
Before this, J-E had moved to 5-8 on the season last Monday with a 15-0 shutout of Utica Proctor led by Brayden Kitterie, who scored five times as Wyatt Werth got three goals and two assists.
Nixon Karcz netted two goals and got a trio of assists, with Wade Brunelle getting two goals and two assists. Nick Long had a goal and two assists as Konnor Sharp and Talan Hilliker also converted
In Thursday’s 16-7 loss to Cazenovia, J-E only trailed 8-7 at halftime thanks to Wade Brunelle’s four goals and two assists, with Werth converting twice. But the Lakers blanked the Eagles over the last two periods as Brody Coleman led the hosts with seven goals and one assist.
J-E won 14-6 over Holland Patent on Saturday, with LaFleur and Wade Brunelle each getting four goals and four assists as Karcz scored twice and had two assists. Long also had two goals.
