ONONDAGA COUNTY – As part of a far smaller Class AAA group than it faced before, the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool girls soccer teams could both carry championship dreams quite far.
Away from Fayetteville-Manlius (who is still in Class AA), the Northstars might consider itself the favorites, and got off to a solid start on Sept. 2 when it defeated Jamesville-DeWitt 1-0.
In a game which had few big opportunities, C-NS’s defense held J-D to three shots, and it grabbed the lead when Emilee Rio netted an unassisted goal. The Northstars’ defense limited the Rams to three total shots.
Yet those good feelings did not carry over into last Tuesday’s SCAC Metro division opener against West Genesee, where the Northstars took a 2-1 defeat to the Wildcats.
The game went back and forth with chances at both ends. WG went in front with Alyssa Winters’ goal, only to have C-NS answer and pull even, 1-1.
It was Ellie McMahon converting to break the tie and the Wildcats hanging on thanks to a defense that mostly made the Northstars work for its chances. Between them, WG goalies Jenna Orr and Julia Poissant had six saves.
A chance for C-NS to recover against East Syracuse-Minoa on Thursday was postponed due to heavy thunderstorms and dangerous weather conditions, to get made up this Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
This followed Liverpool seeing its own game with Jamesville-DeWitt postponed because the heat index last Wednesday topped 95 degrees, beyond conditions allowed for competition by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.
But the weather was fine for both Liverpool and C-NS to play on Saturday, the Warriors getting Rome Free Academy as the Northstars faced Whitesboro,
With consecutive games looming this week against Fayetteville-Manlius, Baldwinsville and West Genesee, Liverpool needed some confidence, and got it by blanking the Black Knights 2-0, Grace Muller and Sienna Villa able to pick up the decisive goals.
A closer game took place between C-NS and Whitesboro, but the Northstars claimed it 1-0 in overtime.
The Northstars stayed patient through 80 minutes of regulation before Emilee Rio netted the game-winner in the first extra period. Combined, goalies Natalie LaPointe and Meghan McGrath stopped all 10 of Whitesboro’s shots.
