ONONDAGA COUNTY – Ever since the East Syracuse Minoa girls soccer program initiated the “Kara Day” benefit games a few years back, it had never enjoyed a contest as anticipated as this one.
ESM would challenge the reigning Class AA sectional champions, Fayetteville-Manlius, who sat at no. 7 in the state Class AA rankings, well ahead of the Spartans in the no. 18 spot.
As it turned out, the game on Saturday morning lived up to, or even exceeded, expectations, the two sides going back and forth until ESM, with a goal late in regulation, pulled it out 3-2.
Morgan Goodman’s goal got F-M on the board first, and it remained 1-0 until late in the first half, when Khloe Welch tied it for the Spartans.
Then the game’s two primary stars exchanged blows, Goodman converting again (the 62nd of her high school career) to put the Hornets up 2-1, Leah Rehm answering ESM’s behalf to pull her side back even.
They stayed 2-2 until, with less than three minutes left in regulation, Spartans pressure led to Ashley Praxl putting it past Mackenzie Murphy, who to that point had made 13 saves to keep F-M close.
Ava Burry and Laura Markert were credited with assists for the Spartans, with Reese Nichols gaining an assist for the Hornets.
It was already a memorable week, especially on ESM’s side as Leah Rehm reached a rare milestone in last Thursday’s 5-1 victory over Central Square.
With a goal late in the first half assisted by Praxl and another in the second half when she took the ball in the corner, sprinted to the middle and fired it home,, Rehm reached 100 goals, which only one other player in Spartans history has accomplished.
Far from alone, Leah Rehm was joined by fast-rising seventh-grader Ayzlei Winas in netting two goals, with the other going to Leah Chavoustie as Bailey Rehm had two assists. Laura Markert and Sophia Brooks also had assists.
When F-M and ESM went up against pair of state-ranked Class AAA sides, they were far different results, ESM handling Baldwinsville 4-0 as F-M, at home, lost, 3-1 to Cicero-North Syracuse.
Against the Bees, the Spartans had to stay patient through a scoreless first half before breaking through in the final 40 minutes, again led by Leah Rehm, whose two goals got her to 98. Welch and Michaela Hurlbut also earned goals. Praxl twice got assists, with single assists to Welch and Chavoustie.
At F-M, the Hornets never could get the lead, seeing C-NS get away from a 1-0 halftime advantage behind goals from Emilee Rio, Julianna Edwards and Adrianna Calabria, with Ashley Seidberg netting her side’s lone tally in the second half. Murphy finished with seven saves.
