ONONDAGA COUNTY – Despite all the good work it has done the last few years, a Section III championship has eluded the Cicero-North Syracuse girls soccer team, but it might be difficult to stop the Northstars this time.
About the only thing that could halt C-NS is just that – a halt caused by having to spend a long stretch waiting for the sectional Class AAA tournament since its field is much smaller than other classes.
This followed an intense final week of the regular season for both C-NS and its neighbors from Liverpool,which began when the two faced each other Tuesday at LHS Stadium and the Northstars pulled away to win 4-0.
Senior night for Liverpool was meant to be a celebration, as well as an opportunity to show how much the Warriors had improved since a 2-0 defeat to the Northstars in September.
Instead, C-NS gradually imposed its will, taking the lead for good in the 29th minute when Emily Kozdemba flicked home Katalina Lawrence’s well-placed free kick.
It stayed 1-0 until the second half, when the Northstars got away. Kozdemba tacked on a second goal, with Abby Mackey and Julianna Edwards also converting as Emilee Rio twice earned assists and Mackey earned an assist, too.
To its credit, Liverpool rebounded quite well from this result, going to Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium Thursday night and pulling out a 1-0 victory over Baldwinsville.
Ignoring the Bees’ no. 14 state ranking, the Warriors netted the game’s only goal when Mia Wright converted and, led by its defense, got even for losing to B’ville by that exact same score in mid-September.
As if that wasn’t big enough for Liverpool, what it did Saturday against state Class A no. 9-ranked Westhill really provided a boost.
In this clash of two high-quality Warrior sides, Liverpool’s defense was again exceptional, stifling a high-powered Westhill attack that, to this point in the season, had not been shut out once.
Grace Sleeth stopped all six shots she faced, and when a second-half ball was hit by a Westhill hand inside the 18-yard box, Alexa Marsha converted the penalty kick – and Liverpool held on for another 1-0 win.
More drama was found at Bragman Stadium, where C-NS and state Class B no. 8-ranked Lowville found themselves extended into overtime on Senior Day.
And the Northstars pulled it out, 2-1, when Mackey put the game-winner past Lowville goalie Samantha Reynolds. Rio assisted on that goal, just as she had done on Mackey’s tally in regulation.
With only five teams in the sectional Class AAA bracket, C-NS and Liverpool, carrying the top two seeds, have byes straight into the semifinals – but will have to wait a while for them.
Not until Oct. 25 will the Northstars take on Rome Free Academy or Syracuse United in one semifinal at Chittenango, while the Warriors play in the other semifinal, a third encounter with B’ville, the no. 3 seed. Winners of those games advance to the Oct. 28 final at SUNY-Cortland.
