CENTRAL NEW YORK – In a week where the Skaneateles girls soccer team planted itself at no. 2 in the first state Class B rankings of the fall, it had to cede the spotlight to two of its rivals and then took its first blemishes of the fall.
Westhill and Marcellus, long-time antagonists with a rich history of big games between them, collided last Tuesday night, and the Warriors got the best of it, prevailing by a score of 3-1.
Unranked despite its strong start this season, Westhill would have most of the chances on this night, its constant pressure leading to goals that kept the Mustangs contained.
Twice, Jules Bleskoski found the net, with Lily Kinsella also earning a goal. Assists were credited to Elle Herrera and Rosie Mahoney.
All of this helped to overcome nine saves by Marcellus goalie JoJo Leubner, with the Mustangs able to get on the board thanks to Janie Powell’s goal, assisted by Corinne Aldrich.
Big as this was, what happened to Skaneateles a night later at Cazenovia caused just as much of a stir as, after seven consecutive victories, the visiting Lakers had to settle for a 2-2 draw.
Each half featured an exchange of goals. Paige Willard and Julia O’Connor converted for Skaneateles as Kathryn Morrissey and Bella Pietropaoli earned assists, while Ella Baker and Hannah Ruddy found the net for Cazenovia.
Through a tense 20 minutes of overtime, it would remain even, Skaneateles not able to dominate possession as much as it did against other opponents and seeing Cazenovia goalie Skye Sanford record eight saves.
Maybe what happened in that game carried over because, on Saturday in the final of the Finger Lakes Cup, Skaneateles lost, 1-0, to West Genesee, who saw Claire McManus score in the second half off a feed from Marissa Closson, negating Mara Stanton’s total of nine saves.
This followed a 2-0 opening-round victory over Rochester Aquinas where Willard and Pietrapaoli earned goals, Maddy Ramsgard had an assist and Stanton stopped all eight Irish shots she faced.
Back on Thursday, Westhill was impressive in a 3-0 shutout of Watertown, who entered the game 6-0 but could not stop a balanced Warriors attack.
Kinsella scored, as did MaryKate Rewakowski and Molly Dorfman, with Herrera and Ashley Bolesh picking up assists. Between them, Kate Bendall and Lizzie Horner stopped all nine shots they faced.
Meanwhile, Marcellus shut out Chittenango 5-0 as Ava Aupperle gained two goals and one assist. Lily Schultz, Lexie Fragnito and Janie Powell also found the net as Claire Card and Corrine Aldrich also got assists.
A 6-0 win over Auburn followed on Saturday night at Mynderse Academy in Seneca Falls, Marcellus getting five of those goals in the second half as Card scored twice, with single goals going to Powell, Schultz, Aupperle and Fragnito.
Even better for the team was its participation in the “Run Toward It Girls Soccer Leadership” program that were part of the National Women’s Hall of Fame inductions, a class that included soccer great Mia Hamm and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
