ONONDAGA COUNTY – One side has a flush of recent success in championship games as its primary asset. The other has unseated a champion and does not have to worry abut its biggest nemesis.
Such is the case for boys lacrosse teams from Marcellus and Westhill heading into their respective Section III championship games next Wednesday night at Liverpool High School Stadium.
For Marcellus, the chance to finally gain a sectional title grew in likelihood due to the events at East Syracuse Minoa during the May 26 sectional semifinal round.
Up against no. 3 seed LaFayette/Onondaga in the first semifinal, the no. 2 seed Mustangs found itself tied with the Lancers going to the fourth quarter, but closed as strong as possible to knock out the defending champion Lancers 12-9.
After racing to a quick 4-1 edge, Marcellus saw LaFayette nearly catch up by halftime and then do so in the third quarter, the game tied 8-8 with 12 minutes left.
But it was the Mustangs showing poise and confidence in the homestretch, getting clear thanks to three-goal hat tricks from Nick Rayfield and Jimmy Cox, plus four assists from Doryn LeClair. Sam Barney scored twice as single goals went to Adam Rayfield and Dieter Steigerwald.
Then Marcellus watched as top seed Skaneateles, heavily favored against no. 4 seed General Brown, played one of its poorest games of the season and was stunned, 10-9, by the Lions.
Try as it could, the Lakers could not get its usual attack going, and GB matched everything, getting three goals and two assists from both Gabe Malcolm and Sheamus Devine.
Far from all this, Westhill survived its own sectional Class C semifinal drama, needing all 48 minutes to turn back no. 3 seed New Hartford in a 9-8 decision.
These same teams had met May 6 and New Hartford had won it 11-10, so the payback felt good, even if it required some poise in the game’s late stretches.
Westhill appeared in great position to run away, steadily building a 7-3 advantage by halftime and controlling the ball for long stretches.
Once New Hartford got more comfortable, though, it cut into that deficit, led by Mateo Ripa’s four goals, yet it wasn’t quite enough as Keller O’Hern was stellar in the net, earning 14 saves.
Luke Gilmartin scored three times for a hat trick, with Emmet Starowicz and Charlie DeMore each landing two goals. Owen Etoll and Andrew Mondo got single goals.
The Class B sectional final at Cicero-North Syracuse’s Bragman Stadium will, again, feature West Genesee against Fayetteville-Manlius, the two sides winning semifinals last Friday at Liverpool High School Stadium – the Wildcats over East Syracuse Minoa 13-8, the Hornets over Watertown 14-8.
In WG’s case, it was tied, 1-1, when Ryan Considine, Jake McMahon and Liam Burns all scored in short order. Inspired by this, the Wildcats steadily built in its margin until it led 10-5 at halftime.
Though the Spartans did play a solid second half, it could not make up ground, Burns finishing with four assists as he and Nolan Belotti both had three-goal hat tricks.
Jack Mellen scored twice, adding an assist. Jake McMahon and Nash Oudemool matched each other with one goal and one assist as Liam Bergen and Zach Ryan also got goals.
