CENTRAL NEW YORK – On its new home turf this week, the Cazenovia boys lacrosse team welcomed two different opponents, determined to establish itself among the prime Section III Class D title contenders.
The Lakers were 1-1 going into Tuesday’s game against Jordan-Elbridge, one where its defense took charge in the middle stages and led to a 9-4 victory over the Eagles.
A week had passed since a 13-6 loss to Christian Brothers Academy, and in that time Cazenovia worked on preventing chances, which it did after it took a 3-2 lead on J-E through one period.
Over the course of the entire second and third quarters, the Eagles were shut out. Thus, the Lakers’ 4-0 second-period surge proved decisive as Tucker Ives turned everything back, eventually getting 12 saves.
D.B. Falge led the way, netting three goals and adding an assist. Alex Kuper and Owen Porter both scored twice, Kuper contributing an assist. Paul Mitchell had a goal and two assists as Finn Hagan also converted. Basil Sayre contributed an assist.
Tully would visit two days later, and the Lakers’ formula – play strong defense, earn timely goals – emerged again in the course of a 7-5 victory over the Black Knights.
Arriving with a 3-1 record, Tully took more shots and had more opportunities, but again Ives was up to it, recording his second consecutive 12-save outing and also leading the team with six ground balls as Cole Frazee got five ground balls and Finn Tobin had four ground balls.
Cazenovia got away with a single line of production, Kuper earning three goals as Falge twice got assists to go with his pair of goals and Porter had the other two goals, Mitchell adding an assist.
Moving to girls lacrosse, Cazenovia put up plenty of goals in last Tuesday’s game against Syracuse City, but not enough of them to get to the win column.
The Lakers’ 18-11 defeat was largely set up by falling behind 9-3 in the first half, something it could not overcome despite Charlie Prior netting five goals to lead her side.
Maddie DeAngelis scored twice and got three assists, with Hayden Bubble also getting two goals. Izzy Stromer-Galley and Tara Pratt had the other goals and Eliza Smith recorded nine saves. On Syracuse’s side, Alayna Wood piled up five goals and five assists helped by Brigid Burns (four goals), Cecilia Witherel and Abby Delaney (three goals each).
All of this turned around Friday against Mexico. Cazenovia roared out of the gate, eventually building a 12-1 lead on the Tigers by halftime on the way to a 16-8 victory.
DeAngelis, in particular, stood out, having a part in all but four of the Lakers’ scoring plays by amassing eight assists, one of the highest totals in program history, to go with four goals.
Bubble also scored four times, adding a pair of assists. Prior dominated in the center X with 16 draw controls and got three goals and one assist, with Pratt and Sally Hughes both converting twice and single goals going to Stromer-Galley and Wynslet Skidmore.
Three games awaited the Cazenovia boys this week, two of them against Westhill with a battle against LaFayette/Onondaga in between as the girls Lakers host Westhill and Southern Hills before a Saturday trip to Marcellus.
