ONONDAGA COUNTY – Next Tuesday evening’s girls lacrosse showdown between Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool offers a pretty good indication of where the rivals stood among the Class A schools and when compared with one another.
At least going into the game, the Northstars had every reason to feel great, sporting a 5-0 record and coming off a comprehensive 15-4 win over previously unbeaten West Genesee last Thursday night at Bragman Stadium.
In every phase of the game, C-NS excelled, starting in the draw circle. The Northstars claimed 21 of them to the Wildcats’ three, with Gabby Putman getting nine draws and Elizabeth Smith five draws.
And Smith didn’t stop there, leading her side with five goals as Marissa Doty scored three times. Sophia Nesci dished out four assists as she and Putman both got two goals. Single goals went to Mackenzie Prentice, Gabby Pauline and Mia Gates, while goalie Jilly Howell and Sophia Graham led with four ground balls apiece.
It was quite a strong week for the Northstars, having routed Class D power South Jefferson 13-1 last Tuesday night. The Spartans took nine shots, eight of which were turned away by Howell, while on the other end plenty of players joined in the scoring parade.
Only Putman got a hat trick, her three goals supported by Smith, Doty and Natalie Wilson each converting twice. Nesci notched two assists, with single goals going to Prentice, Gates and Pauline as Brooke Molchanoff had a goal and three assists.
Liverpool watched all this unfold, then returned to action on Saturday against General Brown and, not looking ahead to its C-NS clash, unloaded on the Lions to prevail 16-4.
Mia Berthoff’s torrid start continued, her five goals and three assists giving her nine goals and seven assists in three games, but Gianna Carbone nearly matched her, scoring four times to go with her own trio of assists.
What’s more, Cailtlyn Guilfoil added a third weapon, netting four goals and tacking on two assists. Addyson Graham converted twice, with Maura Woods adding a goal. Lilia Hertwick got three assists and Emma Esposito earned two assists.
Right after it plays C-NS, Liverpool gets Fulton on Wednesday and then face Rome Free Academy on Saturday. C-NS has a longer trip to make next weekend, going to the Washington, D.C. area for games against St. John’s Prep and the Bullis School.
