CENTRAL NEW YORK – Going into the last week of September, the Cicero-North Syracuse field hockey team is still undefeated and Liverpool is right behind them in the league standings.
And no victory for the Northstars this season was as important as last Friday’s 2-0 shutout over Rome Free Academy at Bragman Stadium, making for a memorable Futures Night for younger C-NS field hockey prospects.
Both teams entered the game undefeated and untied with 7-0 records, and the first half between them was a scoreless stalemate as the Black Knights sought to avenge its defeat to the Northstars in last fall’s Section III Class A final.
However, it was Gabby Wameling who made sure that C-NS maintained the advantage. In both the third and fourth quarters, Wameling made her way past RFA defenders and put shots past goalie Jaylene Decker.
For the night, Decker made 11 saves, but didn’t get much relief as the Black Knights were limited to just two shots by an experienced C-NS defnse
Pushed again by Baldwinsville last Tuesday night at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, the Northstars pulled out its fourth one-goal decision of the season, edging the Bees 1-0.
They were 0-0 going into the second quarter, when the Northstars inched out in front thanks to Ayvah Romano netting a goal assisted by Maria Wozniczka.
For the rest of the night, the Bees’ defense kept turning back C-NS’s chances to build a cushion as Chloe Butler would finish the night with eight saves.
What the Bees could not do was produce much of a consistent pressure, the Northstars ultimately holding them to three shots, all stopped by eighth-grader Olivia Planty.
With a 7-1 record and its lone blemish a tense 2-1 defeat to C-NS on Sept. 11 at LHS Stadium, the Warriors then won four games in a span of six days.
East Syracuse Minoa, Holland Patent and Baldwinsville all fell to Liverpool before it came back home last Monday and again proved effective, shutting out the Auburn Maroons 4-0.
Keeping it among themselves, the Warriors’ top-scoring trio flourished, Mia Berthoff scoring twice as Alexis McGregor and Gianna Carbone both had a goal and assist.
Then Liverpool got some much-needed rest before returning to action Monday against Fayetteville-Manlius and then having another clash with B’ville Thursday night plus a Saturday game with Clinton.
C-NS, just as busy as the month wound down, would meet East Syracuse Minoa Tuesday before going to F-M two nights later and facing Pittsford on Saturday.
