CENTRAL NEW YORK = Going into October, the West Genesee boys soccer team may feel that its chances for a championship by month’s end are as strong as it has been in years.
At 5-2-2 going into the week, the Wildcats were no. 19 in the latest state Class AA rankings and were poised just behind state no. 8-ranked Fayetteville-Manlius in the SCAC Metro division standings.
Then, on a rain-drenched Tuesday night, WG surged into first place, partially due to its 5-1 win over Henninger and partially due to the Hornets’ 1-0 loss to Liverpool.
Not looking past this game to its tough battles later in the week, the Wildcats bolted to a 3-0 halftime advantage on the Black Knights, led by Tighe McMahon and Tyler Wavercak.
McMahon scored twice, with Wavercak getting a goal and two assists. Anthony Pontello also had a goal as Anthony Edgar, James Ginestro and Jake McMahon got single assists.
A tougher test loomed Saturday, at Nottingham, where WG would have to play all 80 minutes to battle to a 1-0 victory over a Bulldogs side it played to a scoreless draw at the start of September.
Pontello put in the game’s only goal, with Wavercak earning the assist. No matter what it tried, Nottingham could not answer it, the Wildcats’ defense allowing just two shots all afternoon.
Also in boys soccer, Solvay took another setback last Tuesday against Phoenix, falling 3-0 to the Firebirds.
Only trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Bearcats saw Phoenix get away behind Tyler D’Arcy’s goal and two assists. Solvay goalie Redd Long finished with five saves.
Against Christian Brothers Academy Thursday night at Al Merola Field, the Bearcats were able to get a pair of goals, even if the state Class A no. 16-ranked Brothers pulled away and handed Solvay an 8-2 defeat.
Arkadii Ososkalo and Kevin Alfonso Machado each scored, with an assist going to Sam Gonzalez. Long had 13 saves, though CBA proved too much, led by Andrew Kohlbrenner, who netted four goals.
But Solvay was able to win on Saturday, toppling Mexico 3-2 with Ososkalo netting a pair of goals and Sam Chipman also finding the net. Gonzalez had an assist, as did Aleksandr Matyiuk and Josh Chipman.
Bishop Ludden was 4-3-1 midway through its regular season, helped by a 3-0 win over Jordan-Elbridge last Monday where Colden Sheen, Jack Ruddy and Sam Colella got goals, with assists to Andrew Towsley, Roberto Scutari and Jack Marvin. In defeat, Eagles goalie Wyatt Mullen had 12 saves.
Ludden fell back to the .500 mark last Wednesday in a tense 1-0 defeat to Fabius-Pompey.
Dennis had a sensational game in goal for the Gaelic Knights, recording 14 saves. All he allowed was Grayson Wallace’s goal, which proved enough as none of Ludden’s eight shots got past Falcons goalie Kyle Clarkson.
And things looked to get worse for a while when, on Friday, the Gaelic Knights trailed Syracuse Academy of Science by two, but roared back late to beat the Atoms 3-2.
Nischal Kharel’s goal and assist had SAS in front 2-0 going into halftime, but Ludden picked up pressure and overtook the Atoms, getting back to a winning mark as it improved to 5-4-1.
Jordan-Elbridge returned to action last Friday and, in its own game against Fabius-Pompey, lost 3-1 to the Falcons. Down 1-0 at halftime, the Eagles got on the board in the second half, only to have F-P answer it twice, led by Taylor Keller’s goal and assist.
Ludden, meanwhile, got a 3-2 defeat to the same Phoenix side that beat Solvay earlier in the week, goals by Scutari and Charlie Colella wasted as Sheen and Marvin earned assists.
