CENTRAL NEW YORK – As they started to head into the heart of their schedules, area high school girls lacrosse teams got a clear indication of which sides were still the best in Central New York.
Yet even as they did so, Fayetteville-Manlius still won its most important game of the week when, in searing summer-like heat last Saturday afternoon, it did just enough to battle past Auburn 15-14.
Entering the game with a 1-4 record, the Hornets looked to be in trouble again when the Maroons emerged from a wild, back-and-forth first half with a 9-7 advantage.
However, F-M rallied behind a four-pronged attack led by Emily Noel, whose five goals and two assists were complemented by three-goal hat tricks from Sarah Porter and Taylor Novack, who got three assists.
Julianna Cogliandro scored twice and got three assists as Grace Reyna and Kathryn McNany had the other goals. Danielle Swietoniowski led Auburn with five goals and two assists.
F-M was humbled when, two days after beating Christian Brothers Academy, it got overwhelmed by Skaneateles in a 19-5 defeat.
The Lakers, a state Class D finalist returning most of its lineup from a year ago, unloaded on the Hornets’ defense during the first half, amassing 13 goals to decide matters.
Paige Willard and Anasofia Cirincione led with four goals apiece, Willard adding three assists as Camryn Calabro got three goals and two assists. F-M only got two goals from Cogliandro, with Reyna, Novack and Anne Leonard adding one goal apiece.
Far more difficult for F-M was Thursday’s 12-11 defeat to Liverpool, a game in which Caitlyn Guilfoil’s goal with 55.4 seconds left in regulation got the Warriors in front for good.
Cogliandro led both sides with four goals, while Novack netted three goals. Leonard converted twice as Noel had a goal and three assists and McNany also scored. Micaela Jennings finished with nine saves.
CBA rebounded from the F-M loss by routing Chittenango 16-3 last Tuesday night, the attack anchored by Amelia Bonacci, who had two goals and five assists.
Maeve Mackenzie scored four times, with Lilah Kirch getting three goals and one assist. Mia Kirch added two goals as single goals went to Sydney Vaughn, Allie Quinn, Medi Cecilia, Mia Arcuri and Emily Jones.
Then, in Saturday’s game against West Genesee, CBA had a 7-4 halftime lead, only to see it get away in the latter stages of a 10-9 defeat to the Wildcats.
Mackenzie still had three goals, while Cecilia got two goals and one assist. Bonacci, Mia Kirch and Lilah Kirch both had one goal and one assist, with Quinn getting the other goal and Maddie Evans recording eight saves.
