ONONDAGA COUNTY – Early-season high school lacrosse often involves two types of battles – team against team, but also players against the elements that can make it feel closer to winter and spring.
Jamesville-DeWitt had its second lopsided victory in as many outings last Tuesday when it shut out Central Square 21-0, doing most of the damage in a first half that included 18 goals, 11 of them in the second period.
Sam Brazell led the way with five goals and one assist. Alex Carolin scored three times, with Nate Cottet, Ben Porter and Tate Mullin earning two goals apiece. Paul Brown earned three assists as Lucas Patchen and Graham Kesselring both got a goal and two assists. Goals also went to Caden Parker, Andrew Laubenstein, Braeden Baker, Brody Kesserling and Ryan Babikan.
Far tougher was Saturday’s game with Section II’s Niskayuna, which evolved into a wild affair where the Rams were shut out in a lopsided second quarter, yet still recovered and, led by Patchen and Brazell, beat the Silver Warriors 16-14.
The Red Rams jumped out to a 4-2 lead, only to surrender six unanswered goals in the second, struggling to get face-offs and having its defense put to a challenge for the first time this spring.
Yet J-D outscored Niskayuna 6-2 in the third to catch up at 10-10, then endured a back-and-forth final period before finally going in front for good, having seen Patchen set a new career total with eight goals.
Brazell often helped on those plays, gaining four assists while also amassing five goals. Graham Kesserling scored twice and got two assists, with Eli Goldberg earning the other goal.
Christian Brothers Academy had no trouble with this, though, venturing to Cazenovia in last Tuesday’s season opener and, on the brand-new artificial turf at Cazenovia High School, prevailing 13-6 over the Lakers.
Eager to bounce back after last year’s 9-7 campaign ended in a narrow sectional Class B playoff defeat to East Syracuse Minoa, the Brothers turned Cazenovia one-dimensional, allowing just one goal outside the five put up by Lakers star D.B. Falge.
Meanwhile, CBA had plenty of standouts, starting with Ben Anderson, who netted four goals, and Jack Ludington, who scored three times for a hat trick and added an assist.
Jack Vaughn and Jack Wichmann each had two goals, with Jon Fallon and Will Cannizzo earning single goals and Fallon adding an assist. CBA’s defense held Cazenovia to just 10 shots overall.
A far bigger test loomed in Thursday’s home opener against West Genesee, the reigning sectional Class B champions, and CBA found itself overwhelmed in the middle stages of a 15-5 defeat to the Wildcats.
They were tied, 2-2, going into the second quarter, but over the course of the next two periods WG outscored them 11-1, led by Charlie Lockwood, who was back from a year in prep school and piled up six goals to go with three assists.
By himself, Lockwood outscored the entire Brothers roster as only three CBA players – Wichman, Anderson and James Stanton – got goals, Wichman and Anderson each converting twice. Busy in goal, Rico Petrosillo recorded 18 saves.
