CENTRAL NEW YORK – The Fayetteville-Manlius boys lacrosse team was no. 14 in the first state Class A rankings poll of the season and then supported that ranking with a come-from-behind, 8-6 win over Liverpool last Tuesday on its home turf.
Through three quarters, Liverpool’s defense had done its job well, and F-M trailed 5-4. But it did not stick as the Hornets finally found some consistent gaps in that Warrior resistance and doubled its output in the final period.
Randal Hearn finished with three goals and Colin Clark scored twice. Single goals went to Tom Porter, Jonathan Schalk and Tyler Burns, with Clark and Porter adding assists. Each of Conor Reynolds’ eight saves proved important.
Exciting as that was, what F-M did on Thursday at Cicero-North Syracuse was better, the Hornets pushed into overtime but, thanks to Burns, pulling out an 8-7 victory.
Up 4-2 after one period, the Hornets kept that margin most of the way, and were still up 7-6 when, with 15 seconds left in regulation, Rocco Villano beat Conor Reynolds for the tying goal, his fourth of the afternoon.
C-NS then won the draw in OT, but after a stop by Reynolds, the Hornets possessed the ball and worked it around until, with 1:41 left, Burns slipped a shot past Leyton Sullivan to end it.
Reynolds finished with 13 saves to Sullivan’s 11. Burns’ game-winner was his second goal, equaling the totals of Clark and Sean Kellish, with Charles Addonizio and Taden Minichillo also converting.
East Syracuse Minoa entered the week at 2-4, but would rise to the .500 mark with back-to-back wins that started last Tuesday when it roared past Syracuse City 16-4.
Building a 15-3 margin through three quarters, the Spartans were led by Cayden Claflin getting five goals and two assists. Logan Welch had two goals and four assists, while Gavin Rinaldi and Noah Taylor matched two goals and two assists. Mike Santillo and Nick Courcy each scored twice and got one assist.
Against Oswego two nights later, the Spartans put away the Buccaneers 18-2, amassing a 15-1 advantage by halftime and spreading the production around, too. Taylor and Welch both had three goals and three assists, with Claflin scoring three times as Rinaldi and Santillo had two goals apiece.
ESM then ran into Baldwinsville on Saturday and was neck-and-neck with the reigning two-time state Class A champions for most of the first three quarters.
Yet just as the third period ended, the Bees got a goal to go in front and, outscoring the Spartans 7-3 in the final 12 minutes, prevailed 16-11, led by Dylan Garcia’s five goals and Zach Bice’s four goals.
Santillo led the way for ESM, scoring four times. Claflin had three goals and one assist, with Rinaldi netting a pair of goals. Welch and Courcy also converted, with Luke James earning 12 saves.
