CENTRAL NEW YORK – Seven games, and seven shutouts earned by the Westhill boys soccer team, yet it was the eighth shutout that may have proved the most impressive of all.
For 80 minutes of reguation and 20 minutes of overtime last Friday night, the Warriors managed to keep unbeaten, state Class AA no. 3-ranked Christian Brothers Academy off the board.
A brilliant defensive effort against the potent Brothers’ attack resulted in a 0-0 draw, the back line limiting CBA to five shots, all stopped by Charlie DeMore, while all seven of Westhill’s shots were grabbed by Ryan Petrie.
This remarkable streak of not giving up any goals continued for the Warriors last Monday night, when it hosted Marcellus and, mature and patient, was able to defeat the Mustangs 2-0.
Having risen to no. 4 in the latest state Class A rankings, Westhill probed throughout the first half, only to get turned back by a stingy Marcellus defense.
All of that changed after intermission as the Warriors got on the board, then doubled the margin behind goals from Owen Etoll and Luke Infanti. DeMore finished with five saves as Mustangs goalies Rory Wiley and Ryan Stephens combined for six saves.
West Genesee was back in action last Thursday night, hosting Central Square, and climbed back to the .500 mark with a 2-0 shutout of the Redhawks.
They were scoreless until the second half, when the Wildcats’ pressure finally paid off. Nick Togias twice earned assists as his passes found Logan Scott and James Mungro for the goals and the defense held Central Square to just two shots.
At Jamesville-DeWitt on Saturday morning, WG maintained this strong form, earning another shutout as it blanked the Red Rams by a 3-0 margin and moved its overall record to 4-3-1.
Wasting little time, the Wildcats had a 2-0 advanrage by halftime and added to it late, Nate Quirk scoring twice and Scott getting the other goal. Assists were credited to Togias, Christian Ball and Jake McMahon.
Bishop Ludden appeared to be soaring after it handed Manlius Pebble Hill its first defeat of the season Sept. 17, but the Gaelic Knights stumbled last Tuesday in a 4-2 defeat to Faith Heritage.
When Colden Sheen found the net and assisted on Avery Neville’s goal, Ludden took a 2-0 lead to halftime, but gave it all back, the Saints coming back and getting goals from Adam Loch, Mike Peplinski and Jack Marziale, while Landon Bregou got nine save.
Two days later, Ludden got right back into the win column, blanking Syracuse Academy of Science 2-0. Sheen and Jack Ruddy not only scored, but assisted on each other’s tallies, and Gavin Hughes, in goal, stopped all eight shots he faced.
Then the Gaelic Knights took another setback in Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Phoenix. Owen Champion’s first-half goal held up for the Firebirds as it limited Ludden to just three shots all afternoon.
Jordan-Elbridge/Cato-Meridian had a 5-2 defeat to Mater Dei Academy last Tuesday night, with Inaki Guiscafre and Adam Edwards both scoring twice for Mater Dei and James Errmold added a pair of assists.
Three nights later, J-E/Cato dropped a 4-0 decision to Tully, who got two goals from Nico Marinich to help overcome a 15-save effort from Eagles goalie Alex Kunz.
