CENTRAL NEW YORK – When a 12-game win streak got halted in a thriller with Skaneateles on May 5, the Marcellus boys lacrosse team hoped that it wasn’t an omen for the rest of the spring.
Yet when the Mustangs returned to the field last Tuesday to face Westhill, it faced even more struggles, especially in the middle stages as the hosts roared to a 12-5 victory.
Already up 2-1, Westhill seized control with five unanswered goals in the second quarter, not only converting, but getting stellar defense around goalie Keller O’Hern, who amassed 12 saves.
Quenten Polkowski got 14 saves, but saw Westhill get four goals from Luke Gilmartin as Charlie DeMore and Tom Pendergast got two goals apiece, Pendergast adding three assists.
Andrew Mondo and Jack Hayes also picked up goals, with Marcellus mostly leaning on Nick Rayfield, who had three goals, and Jimmy Cox, who got three assists. Adam Rayfield and Henry Lawrence had the other goals.
Not having a letdown after this game, Westhill battled past Carthage 10-4, thwarting the Comets’ attempts to slow down the tempo by gaining a 4-1 lead through one quarter and doubling that margin in the second half.
Overcoming Carthage goalie Corey Decker’s 14 saves, Owen Starowicz outscored the Comets by himself with five goals, adding two assists. Mondo and Owen Etoll each had two goals and one assist, with DeMore getting one goal and one assist
Skaneateles made short work of its first game since toppling Marcellus, hosting Central Square last Wednesday and buidling a 12-1 lead by halftime on the way to routing the Redhawks 16-2.
Grayson Brunelle and Ethan Hunt had matching totals of three goals and three assists. Landen Brunelle also scored three times, tacking on a pair of assists as Sean Kerwick, Quinn Cheney and Charlie Carbonaro each got two goals.
Now the Lakers faced Homer on Friday night and unleashed a potent, consistent attack that overwhelmed the Trojans, building an 11-5 lead by halftime and then cruising to an 18-7 victory.
Kerwick, with five goals and two assists, led the way, each of the Brunelle brothers converting four times and getting a pair of assists. Devon Gryzlo stepped up with two goals and one assist, while Hunt, Cheney and Carter Loi each had one goal and one assist. Carbonaro and Cade Bourcy also had assists.
This happened as Marcellus lost again, falling 17-10 to Christian Brothers Academy in a game where both sides were unstoppable in a wild first quarter, the Mustangs scoring five times yet still falling behind.
Then, shut out in the second quarter, Marcellus trailed 11-5 at the break and could not recover, though LeClair had three goals and Nick Rayfield scored twice. Adam Rayfield had a goal and three assists as CBA saw Andrew Kohlbrenner get six goals and three assists, closely followed by Joe Papa’s five goals and Will Cannizzo’s four goals.
Jordan-Elbridge played last Tuesday and held off Tully/Fabius-Pompey 8-7, the Eagles building a 7-2 advantage by halftime but needing to withstand a furious Black Knights comeback in the second half.
Each of Austin Brunelle’s eight saves was important as, on the other end, Joe LaFluer scored three times for a hat trick and added two assists. Wyatt Werth got two goals, with Nixon Karcz, Casey Ryan and Bryan Tanner also finding the net and Karcz getting two assists.
Far easier was Saturday’s 12-1 win over Holland Patent, the Eagles moving to 8-6 overall as Werth had five goals and four assists. Jayden Castaldo stepped up, scoring three times, with Tanner getting three assists and Ryan netting a goal and two assists.
