CENTRAL NEW YORK – Now the area’s trio of high school private-school boys soccer teams set off on vastly different paths, all trying to head in the same winning direction.
Christian Brothers Academy challenged reigning state Class B champion Skaneateles last Tuesday night at Alibrandi Stadium, and the two sides played to a 1-1 draw.
Both goals came in the first half, with Jack Griffith taking a pass from Andrew Kohlbrenner and scoring for the Brothers as the Lakers countered with Sean Kerwick’s goal, assisted by Casey Kenan.
For the entire second half and 20 minutes of overtime, it would remain even, CBA only able to do so because it defense withstood waves of Skaneateles charges, Finn Wheeler recording 11 saves.
Having earned the no. 6 spot in the first state Class A rankings of the season, the Brothers further bolstered its confidence last Thursday with a 4-0 shutout of Chittenango.
At 4-0-1 going into the game, the Bears were completely unable to contain Morgia and Griffith, with Morgia getting three goals for the hat trick, each of them assisted by Griffith, who had the other goal.
Staying unbeaten on Saturday, CBA blanked PSLA-Fowler 3-0, Morgia tacking on two more goals to give him nine for the season. Sravan Kodali had the other goal as assists went to Santiago Betancourt-Trompa, Tom Leskoske and Juliuz Pichardokamp, with Wheeler getting five saves.
Manlius-Pebble Hill had started 2-0 in Tim Goldman’s first week as head coach, but then took a blemish last Monday when it went to Tully and lost to the Black Knights 5-2.
The Trojans did see Sam Lurvey put in a pair of goals, assisted by Andy Lurvey and Nick Lurvey. Between them, Abe Salomon and Liam Allen had 10 saves, but Tully still struck often, with Diego Iglesias and Julian Shay banging out two goals apiece.
MPH bounced back with Wednesday’s 7-1 romp over Jordan-Elbridge. Nick Lurvey had a three-goal hat trick, adding an assist, with Andy Lurvey, Deven Trikka and John Dalisto also finding the net. Sam Lurvey and Ayman El-Hindi each got a pair of assists.
Then, on Friday, MPH battled against Bishop Ludden, but lost, 3-2, to the Gaelic Knights. El-Hindi had a goal, as did Nick Lurvey, but Sam Colella’s hat trick saved the game for Ludden and overcame Salomon’s 10 saves.
Bishop Grimes was 1-2 going into last Monday’s game against LaFayette-Onondaga, but the Cobras were able to climb to the .500 mark thanks to a 1-0 overtime victory.
Through 80 minutes of regulation, neither side was able to convert. Then, in the “Golden Goal” period, Grimes won it when Dante Piraino, off a feed from Vitor Azeredo, put it past LaFayette/OCS goalie Owen Simmons. Greg Docos, the Cobras’ keeper, stopped all five shots he faced.
Grimes turned around on Wednesday and won a 1-0 decision, this one in regulation over Bishop Ludden.
They were scoreless in the first half, but Joey Ferraro’s second-half goal got the Cobras in front. Trey Dennis made six saves for Ludden, but each of his team’s six shots was gobbled up by Docos to earn the shutout.
In its third game of the week Friday, Grimes outscored Syracuse Academy of Science 4-3, largely thanks to Diago Medina, who burned the Atoms for three goals. Tyquan Butler assisted on one of those goals while netting the other as Docos finished with seven saves.
