CENTRAL NEW YORK – The 7-2 record put together by the Baldwinsville boys soccer team had done enough to spring it up to no. 10 in the last state Class AAA rankings of September.
Now, facing a trio of SCAC Empire division opponents, the Bees kept it going, starting at Jamesville-DeWitt last Tuesday with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over the Red Rams.
They were 0-0 when, in the second half, the Bees, who had put on constant pressure throughout the game, broke through with goals by Nick Hollingshead and Will Stevens.
Owen Daly picked up an assist and B’ville’s defense held J-D to one direct shots. By contrast, the Bees had to overcome 12 saves by J-D goalie Adam Ridgon.
Returning to Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium last Thursday night, the Bees met J-D’s neighbors from East Syracuse Minoa and got out in front with Greg Ramin’s first-half goal, assisted by Michael Sacco.
But the Spartans tied it when Joel Alvarez put one past Hollingshead in the second half, and for the rest of regulation and overtime it remained that way, B’ville settling for a 1-1 draw. Hollingshead had eight saves, two more than ESM counterpart Reide Scolaro.
B’ville then throttled Fulton 8-1 on Saturday afternoon, netting five unanswered goals in the first half and hardly letting up late as it improved its overall record to 9-2-1 ahead of trips this week to Cicero-North Syracuse and PSLA-Fowler.
Turning to girls soccer, Baldwinsville had, with its 6-3-1 mark through 10 games, sneaked into the state AAA rankings at no. 13, but were quickly humbled last Tuesday by Class AA power East Syracuse Minoa.
The 4-0 defeat to the Spartans all took place in the second half as the Bees’ defense wore down in the face of ESM’s pressure.
Leah Rehm, ESM’s top forward, converted twice, nearing the 100-career-goal mark (which she did later in the week against Central Square), with single goals going to Khloe Welch and Michaela Hurlbut. It helped to overcome 12 saves by B’ville goalie Alyssa Luce.
Things did not improve much in Saturday’s clash with Cicero-North Syracuse at Bragman Stadium, the two sides meeting just nine days after they fought to a 0-0 draw at B’ville on Sept. 21.
Here, again, the Bees would be kept off the board – but with a goal in each half, the Northstars prevailed 2-0, with Emilee Rio and Abigail Mackey able to score and assist on each other’s goals. Luce, in defeat, made eight saves.
B’ville’s girls only have three games left in the regular season, two of them this week against J-D and Oswego before closing with Liverpool on Oct. 12.
