ONONDAGA COUNTY – For the second time this fall, the Cicero-North Syracuse field hockey team would find itself challenged by reigning Section III Class A champion Baldwinsville.
The fact that the Northstars dominated their initial meeting 6-1 at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium had given C-NS plenty of confidence and infuriated the Bees.
Now, at Bragman Stadium, the rematch would prove far more tense and competitive, with the Northstars not going in front for good until the latter stages and then hanging on to prevail 2-1.
When the Northstars got the jump with a first-quarter goal, B’ville’s main task was to make sure it didn’t get away.
Sure enough, for the next two-plus quarters the Bees’ defense, having learned from its first meeting, shut down the open lanes C-NS once feasted on, assuring a tight contest.
Even more important was the goal by Bridget Roy in the second quarter that created a 1-1 halftime tie, one which endured through a scoreless third period as the tension grew.
Keeping its poise, C-NS, still without a loss or tie this season, inched back in front during the final period and hung on, largely by maintaining possession and not letting the Bees attack.
Again, Chrissy Wagner was at the forefront, for the Northstars’ attack netting one goal and assisting on the other by Shannon Brown as she built on the three-goal hat trick she earned in the first meeting. B’ville goalie Caley Gee finished with eight saves.
Far easier was Friday’s 7-0 win over Auburn where Gabby Wameling and Cathryn Jacobs stepped up, each scoring twice. Wagner got two assists as Brown, Eva Farone and Addie Esce had single goals, Nicole Conklin getting an assist.
Liverpool had taken on B’ville two nights before C-NS did, and lost by a 3-0 margin, with all of the damage done in the third quarter.
They were 0-0 at halftime, Arilanna Webber making her way to 11 saves, when B’ville broke through after the break, seeing Julia Schultz get one goal and one assist as Roy and Ella Holtman also got goals.
Rarely were the Warriors able to break out of its own end, managing just three shots overall as it again was shut out, just as it was in a 2-0 meeting with the Bees earlier in the month.
As C-NS was battling B’ville, Liverpool had its own game with Auburn and, with a second-quarter scoring surge, beat the Maroons by a score of 3-1.
They were 0-0 when the Warriors got all of its offense in the second, seeing Emily Nestor convert twice and Caitlyn Guilfoil also get a goal, while Gianna Carbone got a pair of assists. Webber only had to make three saves.
A day later, against Holland Patent, Liverpool was kept off the board in a 2-0 defeat. Both goals came in the first half, Zoe Kelly getting one for the Golden Knights and assisting on the other, by Madison Oliver, though the Warriors did get a second-half shutout as Webber gained seven saves.
This week, Liverpool takes on East Syracuse Minoa and Fayetteville-Manlius, with C-NS having its own game at F-M after a visit to Cortland the night before.
