CENTRAL NEW YORK – Even though it’s Cicero-North Syracuse as the defending Section III Class A champions in field hockey and Liverpool as the challenger, their positions going into the sectional playoffs were quite different than a year ago.
By virtue of splitting two hard-fought games with the Northstars, the Warriors stated its case as a title contender even before an active final week of the regular season highlighted by Tuesday’s trip to Rome Free Academy.
And it would prove to be a rough trip.
Improving to 14-1 overall, the Black Knights blanked the Warriors 2-0, the two defenses rarely allowing chances – but when RFA got close, it saw Izzy McMahon and Fiona McMahon each put it past Jenna Hayes, those goals making the difference.
That RFA game was in between two meetings with Fayetteville-Manlius, the first taking place last Monday at LHS Stadium where a well-balanced Liverpool attack put away the Hornets 4-1.
Coming off back-to-back shutouts of Baldwinsville and Whitesboro, F-M appeared to be getting into gear – only to have Liverpool jump in front 2-0 before Carlye Bryant’s third-quarter goal got the Hornets on the board.
Immediately, Liverpool answered and pulled away, overcoming 13 saves from Emma Dobrovech with goals from Mia Berthoff, Caitlyn Guilfoil, Bella Ames and Gianna Carbone. Berthoff added an assist.
When those two sides met again Friday night at F-M, it was closer, but again Liverpool emerged triumphant, blanking the Hornets in another 2-0 decision.
Single goals in the second and third quarter proved enough, with Carbone converting one and the other going to Katia Flavin. Emily Nestor picked up an assist as the ball stayed in F-M’s end most of the night, Dobrovech having 16 saves this time around.
Back on Oct. 7, C-NS lost, 2-1, to Minnechaug, a school from western Massachusetts. Gabby Wameling scored off a feed from Ayvah Romano, but it was still the Northstars’ third defeat in four games after a 10-0 start.
Now Baldwinsville arrived at Bragman Stadium Wednesday night, and though it was tight early, a big second quarter allowed the Northstars to get away and handle the Bees 5-1.
Unlike their 1-0 meeting in September, B’ville was able to score thanks to a first-period tally from Sara Nadzan, but the Northstars broke out of a 1-1 tie by netting three consecutive goals before intermission.
Wameling, scoring twice and adding an assist, led a charge where Paige Pangaro, Maria Wozniczka and Avery Carinci also found the net. Nicole Conklin earned two assists and Eva Farone earned an assist, too.
Canastota was the opponent for Friday’s regular-season finale, and C-NS saw the Raiders keep the game for a long while before getting away in the homestretch to win it 4-0.
It was only 1-0 going to the fourth quarter, but the constant pressure on Canastota goalie Alyssa Boneau, who made an astonishing 32 saves, finally led to some consistent production in the closing minutes.
Wozniczka scored twice, while Wameling finished with one goal and one assist. Ayvah Romano picked up the other goal as Conklin and Pangaro also earned assists.
When the sectional Class A playoff bracket was released, C-NS had the top seed and Liverpool the no. 3 seed. This means the Northstars have a bye straight into the Oct. 24 semifinal at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, where it will face F-M or Baldwinsville.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will need to win Tuesday in an opening-round game against no. 6 seed Auburn at LHS Stadium in order to advance to those same semifinals and a chance at payback against RFA, the no. 2 seed.
