CENTRAL NEW YORK – When the boys soccer, Section III Class B playoffs got underway, there was little question that Marcellus, Westhill and Skaneateles each felt they could bring home the title.
The recent sectional and state championship accolades earned by the Lakers and Warriors helped their causes, but it was the Mustangs who had topped both in the regular season and risen to no. 2 in the state Class B rankings.
All of this was noticed, especially by Skaneateles, who remembered that it had kept Marcellus off the board when they first played each other Sept. 27.
The rematch, barely two weeks later at Marcellus, was just as stingy, only here it was the Lakers able to get the goal it needed late in regulation to prevail 1-0 and end the Mustangs’ 12-match unbeaten streak.
Just as they did before, Skaneateles ably contained whatever the Mustangs tried to do on offense, despite a steady barrage of chances that made Evan Wingfield record 11 saves.
With just three minutes left in the second half, Teague Foley, off a corner kick from Wyatt Langford, struck for the first goal of his varsity career, giving the Lakers a lead it would hold the rest of the way, having overcome eight saves by Mustangs goalie Rob Bartolotta.
The lofty state ranking had already made Marcellus a prime target, which Cazenovia hoped to hit last Tuesday night at the Sean Googin Sports Complex, but it could not contain the Mustangs, who prevailed 3-1.
Twice, Landon Kelly was picking up goals, while Ryan Constable also found the net and Jacob LeFever gained an assist. Other than allowing Alex Dolly’s goal, the Mustangs’ defense stymied the Lakers, Rob Bartolotta finishing with five saves.
Westhill, who returned to the state poll at no. 19 after it beat Skaneateles 2-1 on Oct. 6, followed up last Tuesday with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Homer.
It was scoreless until the second half, when Ian Centore and Emmet Starowicz were able to put in goals, again backed up by a solid defensive effort as the Warriors earned its eighth shutout of the fall.
Skaneateles, before it faced Marcellus , rolled past Solvay 6-0 last Tuesday night, taking 26 shots overall, and would carry that over into its win over the Mustangs.
When the sectional Class B playoff bracket was released on Sunday, Westhill had the no. 2 seed and Marcellus the no. 3 seed, knowing they could meet in the semifinals, while Skaneateles drew the no. 5 seed. Each had opening-round games early this week – the Warriors against Clinton, the Mustangs hosting Little Falls and the Lakers facing Homer.
