ONONDAGA COUNTY – Each of the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse boys soccer teams sense an opportunity to rise up and fight for Class AA supremacy after the recent domination of Fayetteville-Manlius.
In the Warriors’ case, it put on a strong season-opening performance at Baldwinsville on Sept. 1, able to rally twice and pick up a 2-2 draw with the Bees.
Six days later, it was the Northstars getting its own draw, but doing so at F-M, the 1-1 decision a signal that the race for sectional honors might be wide-open.
Having struggled so much against B’ville in recent years, Liverpool didn’t flinch when Evan Smith scored in the opening minutes for B’ville. Answering quickly, Edis Omerovic found the net, and it was 1-1 going into halftime.
Midway through the second half, a Warriors foul inside the 18-yard box led to a penalty kick that Johan Savage converted for the Bees. Trailing 2-1, Liverpool again pushed and, in the last minute of regulation, Omerovic tied it.
Neither side scored in the 20 minutes of overtime, and the Warriors left B’ville with some newfound confidence, Jacob McQuarters having recorded six saves.
When it came to the C-NS game at F-M, the Northstars, who were off to a 1-1 start, would play a strong first half on the defensive side against the Hornets, who had netted 10 goals in its first two games.
And even when Sam Duncanson put F-M in front early in the second half, the Northstars answered, Jake Trubia netting the tying goal.
From there, neither side could net a game-winner in the rest of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime, Wyatt Dupell making nine saves while F-M counterpart Jake Lavelle stopped 11 of the Northstars’ 12 shots.
Back on Sept. 2, C-NS began its own Optimist Tournament at the Gillette Road complex, taking on Central Square and defeating the Redhawks 2-1.
They traded goals in the first half, Dante Melfi converting for the Northstars and Alex Maciarello finding the net for Central Square.
Melfi returned to net the go-ahead goal in the second half, and C-NS held on from there, limiting the Redhawks to just three shots overall as Zach Scott got an assist on one of Melfi’s tallies.
Christian Brothers Academy awaited in the finals after beating New Hartford 5-1, and this one proved close, too, only this time the 2-1 decision went against the Northstars.
Melfi’s third goal of the season, assisted by Gagan Adhikari, left C-NS in front 1-0 at the break, but the Brothers stormed back, tying it and moving in front led by Connor Morgia, who scored once and assisted on Santiago Betancourt-Tropia’s tally, overcoming Wyatt Dupell’s six saves.
As C-NS was battling F-M, Liverpool was blanking Henninger 4-0, with goals from four different players – Omerovic, Christian Hope, Tyler Vivacqua and Diarouga Docure. Nick Hope had an assist, as did Antonio Wilson and Bobby McQuatters.
Late in the week, C-NS put away Corcoran 3-0, its defense again a strong point as its record improved to 2-1-1 overall. Melfi scored again, joined by Titus Dimitroff and Adam Bonnier, who each got their first goals of the season.
