CENTRAL NEW YORK – No matter which class is considered, a good case can be made that Cicero-North Syracuse has the best girls lacrosse team in Central New York.
Even the slight drop from no. 2 to no. 3 in the latest state Class A rankings cannot contain the Northstars, who once again got the best of its closest neighbors in a productive 48-hour stretch.
First, it was C-NS hosting Baldwinsville, who had started the season 0-8 but had finally got into the win column April 27 when it prevailed at Shenendehowa.
The Northstars noticed this – and proceeded to beat down the Bees 20-7, its speed and skill far too much for B’ville to contain as four different players would record hat tricks.
Leading the way, Sophia Nesci scored six times and got two assists. Brooke Molchanoff, Natalie Wilson and Kaelyn Reid had three goals apiece, Molchanoff adding a pair of assists.
Miabella Gates earned a goal and two assists, while Marissa Doty, Gabby Putman, Elizabeth Smith and Gabby Pauline also converted. Putman claimed 18 draws to set up most of these chances.
Liverpool came to Bragman Stadium two nights later, having lost to C-NS by that same 20-7 margin back in April, and at least showed some improvement in the rematch.
Still, it was all Northstars in a 16-8 victory where the only thing that kept C-NS from more production was a tremendous effort in goal by the Warriors’ Gianna Tantalo, who recorded 16 saves.
Only Mackenzie Prentice, with four goals and three assists, solved Taranto on a regular basis. Nesci earned two goals and two assists, while Reid, Doty and Gates each scored twice. Molchanoff, Wilson, Pauline and Ella Grotto contributed goals, too.
Mia Berthoff had a big night for Liverpool, scoring four times and adding a pair of assists. Gianna Carbone managed two goals, with single tallies going to Lilia Hertweck and Maura Woods as Lauren Sacco and Cali Brancato added assists.
Back in action on Saturday, Liverpool absorbed a 6-4 defeat to Jamesville-DeWitt and saw its overall record fall to 5-6, while C-NS continued to roll, beating Section V’s Brighton 13-6.
Steady play by the Northstars subdued the Barons as Putman, with three goals and two assists, led a well-balanced attack. Nesci, Prentice and Smith had two goals apiece, Nesci adding three assists as Molchanoff, Doty, Gates and Pauline earned single goals.
Liverpool, meanwhile, were tied 2-2 with J-D at halftime, but could not get much past Red Rams goalie Lucy Keib, who stopped seven of the 11 shots she faced.
Woods did convert twice, with Carbone and Emma Esposito earning the other goals. Tantalo gained nine saves, but J-D still won as five different players earned goals, with only Brooke Bort finding the net twice.
The Warriors finds itself with three more tough games this week against West Genesee, Fayetteville-Manlius and Webster Thomas as C-NS has its own game with the Wildcats Thursday after a Monday match with Penfield.
