CENTRAL NEW YORK – Eleven months after they both won state championships, the fact remains that any path to a title in area ice hockey still runs through West Genesee in Division I and Skaneateles in Division II.
Each of these sides clinched their respective regular-season crowns and top seeds for the Section III playoffs, most notably the Lakers by defeating New Hartford 3-0 in last Friday’s big showdown on the Spartans’ home ice.
Skaneateles sat at no. 2 in the state Division II rankings, with New Hartford at no. 4 with a 17-1-1 mark, its lone defeat coming when it fell to the Lakers at Allyn Arena 5-1 in December.
The rematch was close and tense most of the way. Neither side scored in the first period, but the Lakers inched out in front 1-0 in the second, where it stayed as Spartans goalie Derek Joy was having a strong night, finishing with 28 saves.
Yet the pressure of the Lakers led to a pair of insurance goals in the third, again with the production spread around as seven different players had a hand in one of the goals.
Sean Kerwick gained one goal and one assist. Cole Palmer and Andrew Gaglione also found the net, with Luke Mizro, Jack Torrey, Jack Marquardt and Casey Morrissey also reaching the assist column. Danny Angelina stopped all 17 Spartans shots he faced for his 12th shutout of the winter.
Prior to this, Skaneateles defeated visiting Oswego 5-2 last Tuesday night, steadily getting away from the Buccaneers led by Sean Kerwick, who scored twice and added an assist, and Cole Palmer, who got three assists.
Andrew Gaglione, Jack Marquardt and Jack Torrey each had one goal and one assist, with Andrew Falkenberg gaining two more assists to run his season total to 21. Jack Bobbett also had an assist.
Even with its big win over Rome Free Academy on Jan. 30, West Genesee did not clinch the Division I regular-season title until last Tuesday night, when it pushed past Watertown IHC 5-1.
Improving with each game, the Wildcats’ defense limited the Cavaliers to 19 shots and a single second-period tally, not enough to threaten a WG side led again by Jonah Vormwold.
Scoring three goals for a hat trick, Vormwold improved his season total to 18. Chace Cogan had a goal and assist, with Connor Berg also finding the net as Jesse Desena amassed three assists, single assists going to Nick Meluni, Christian Ball and David Petrus.
Syracuse got a confidence-boosting win of its own in last Tuesday’s regular-season finale when it went to Lysander and defeated Baldwinsville 3-1, avenging a 4-2 defeat to the Bees late in November at Shove Park.
The Cougars jumped out 2-0 in the opening period and leaned on its defense from there, seeing goalie Conor Rose turn back 26 of B’ville’s 27 shots, only surrendering a second-period goal to Rocco Weaver.
Nick Rayfield, Ryan Victoriano and Owen Etoll each found the net, with assists going to Will Glass, Drew Schneider, Gaho Shenandoah and Patrick Sheridan.
The sectional playoffs begin Monday night at Meachem Rink when Syracuse, the no. 7 seed in Division I, hosts no. 10 seed Mohawk Valley. As the top seed, WG has a bye and then will play in the quarterfinals Saturday at Shove Park against the lowest remaining seed.
Meanwhile, Skaneateles gets to enjoy a week off as the top seed. Both the Lakers and no. 2 seed New Hartford have the advantage in a stepladder format as all other Division II teams have to win at least once to reach next week’s semifinals.
