ONONDAGA COUNTY – All that is left for the Cicero-North Syracuse football team is to win at least one more game – ideally, two.
Since breaking through for the first time at the Section III level in 2017, the Northstars have snared five consecutive sectional and regional Class AA championships.
Each time, though, C-NS has fallen in the state semifinals, often on its home turf at Bragman Stadium, with Buffalo Bennett beating the Northstars in both 2021 and 2022, the latter leading to a state title.
All of these successes at the local level, and all of this frustration beyond it, defines 2023 and what the Northstars hope to accomplish.
“This might be the season to get over the hump,” said quarterback Jaxon Razmovski, a sentiment his teammates have echoed heading into Saturday’s season opener at West Seneca West
It helps C-NS to bring back Razmovski, a senior who threw for 1,737 yards and 12 touchdowns a season ago while also running for 531 yards and six scores.
Also back are the top two receivers, Nate Williams (29 catches, 500 yards) and Tristan Johnson (24 catches, 510 yards), giving the Northstars a potentially explosive passing attack to go with an experienced offensive line as junior Anthony Johnson takes over in the backfield.
Far more questions appear on defense, where standouts like Farouk Ibrahim, La’Quan Lemon, Amoi Caldwell, Ty Daughton, Roemellow Robinson and Jayceon McGrew have all graduated.
Cody Heller and Terrell Wright each recorded a team-high four sacks in 2022 and should anchor a strong pass rush, while Williams is expected to star in the secondary alongside Mason Mingle.
Three of C-NS’s first four games are on the road, including West Seneca West (a Section VI school near Buffalo and the 2017 state Class A champions), a trip to 2022 state Class A finalist Union-Endicott and a Sept. 22 clash with Baldwinsville at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium.
From there, though, the Northstars have three of its last four games at home. The lone exception is Oct. 13, when the “Star Wars Cup” rivalry with Liverpool is renewed at LHS Stadium.
As far as the Warriors are concerned, 2023 is a chance to take what it learned in a painful 2-6 campaign under first-year head coach Joe Sindoni and apply it to restore the program’s glory.
“We’re building a new program that gets back to our old level of success,” said senior lineman Seth Britton.
Implementing a new system with a new coaching staff took a lot of time, and Liverpool was competitive in its 20-14 first-round playoff defeat to Utica Proctor.
Still, the offense leaned heavily on running back Jah’Deuir Reese, who gained 1,025 yards and scored 11 TD’s. Reese has graduated, so more falls on sophomore quarterback John Sindoni.
A big help, said returning senior Tai’yari Sholtz, was the amount of time players spent together in the off-season, whether in the weight room or at team dinners.
There’s also a sense of stability on both front lines, with standouts like Britton and Jayce Bliss back. Bliss said that he and his fellow players are far more comfortable with the game plans now that they’ve had another year to digest them.
To a man, Liverpool players say an improved focus is necessary, along with a quick start in non-league games like this Friday’s opener against visiting Ballston Spa from Section II.
Three road games in four weeks follow, including one at CBA on Sept. 30, though both C-NS and B’ville will make visits to LHS Stadium.
