CENTRAL NEW YORK – Back-to-back defeats to Baldwinsville and Rochester Aquinas had halted the early momentum built up by the West Genesee boys soccer team.
Intent on getting it back, the Wildcats went up against two main Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division rivals on the road in a span of 48 hours, and found a fair amount of success.
It began with WG taking on Liverpool last Tuesday on the turf at LHS Stadium, and strong defense, combined with one timely scoring play, led to a 1-0 win over the Warriors.
They went scoreless through the first 40 minutes. Then the Wildcats broke through in the second half when Anthony Pontello, taking a pass from Tyler Wavercak, put in the go-ahead goal.
With Liverpool limited to five shots, all stopped by Kyle Bastable, WG got another signature win against a league foe, one it hoped to repeat when it met Cicero-North Syracuse Thursday at the Gillette Road complex.
The Wildcats got another shutout – but it didn’t get on the board, either, resulting in a 0-0 draw.
Wind and wet conditions didn’t make things easier, and WG was constantly turned away in the 80 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime while, on the other end, the defense again was strong, again giving up just five shots as Anthony Augello turned them away.
Bishop Ludden was 2-3 going into last Tuesday’s game against Faith Heritage, where it ended up playing the Saints to a 1-1 draw.
Colden Sheen’s second-half goal, assisted by Jack Marvin, wiped out Faith Heritage’s early 1-0 advantage. Trey Dennis made six saves as neither side could win it in the 20 minutes of overtime.
Ludden was able to reach the .500 mark two nights later when it battled past Syracuse Academy of Science 2-1. Goals by Max Boyea and Roberto Scutari proved enough as Sheen earned an assist and Dennis stopped seven of the Atoms’ eight shots.
Also in OHSL Patriot division play, Jordan-Elbridge took a 2-0 defeat to Mater Dei Academy last Tuesday night, with Nick Edwards and Inaki Guiscafre getting Mater Dei’s goals.
Again the Eagles were kept off the board Thursday when it lost, 4-0, to state Class D no. 20-ranked Tully, who got four goals from four different players, led by Ryan Rauber’s goal and assist.
As for Solvay, its week began with a 4-1 loss to Phoenix last Monday afternoon. Oleksandr Matyiuk scored in the first half, assisted by Sam Chapman, but the Firebirds, up 2-1, got away late, led by Tyler D’arcy’s pair of goals. Bearcats goalie Redd Long earned nine saves as the Bearcats lost 7-0 to Cazenovia three days later.
