CENTRAL NEW YORK – Having endured five years’ worth of close, tense contests packed into a single spring, the Baldwinsville boys lacrosse team could still see all the current woes transform into championship smiles by month’s end.
The Bees have played no less than seven games decided by a single goal, three of them in a row counting last Tuesday’s 9-8 defeat to Fayetteville-Manlius at Hornet Stadium.
B’ville had won the first meeting 10-9 on April 18, but in the rematch F-M, holding the no. 14 spot in the state Class A rankings, made its move in the second quarter, erasing the Bees’ early 2-1 lead by going on a 5-2 run and taking a 7-4 advantage to the break.
Colin Clark led the attack, accumulating three assists as he, along with Randal Hearn and Tyler Burns, netted two goals apiece, the other goals going to Henry Dougherty, Ryder Baldwin and Sean Kellish.
As the tension built in the second half, B’ville chipped away, yet it never could get enough possessions as F-M kept getting draws and applying pressure, the 21 saves from Bees goalie Trevor Sutton keeping it close.
Tieman Lynch and Dylan Garcia both got two goals for B’ville, with Lynch adding two assists. Brady Garcia had a goal and assist as Judson Ferris, Iggy LoMedico and Zach Bice got single tallies.
Up against state Class B no. 6-ranked Victor on Saturday afternoon, B’ville again met with frustration, shut out in both the first and third quarters of a 9-3 defeat to the Blue Devils.
Sutton faced constant pressure, and while he managed 13 saves, the Bees were held to a single second-quarter goal and saw Victor get away in the third with a 4-0 run. Ultimately, LoMedico, Bice and Lynch got one goal apiece, assists going to Brady Garcia, Josh Armpriester and Hayden Kinsella.
Continuing its season-long struggles, the B’ville girls lacrosse team met F-M last Tuesday at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, where the Hornets prevailed by a 12-9 margin.
A high-scoring first half saw F-M gain a 10-6 advantage, its attack again led by Taylor Novack, who netted three goals and three assists as Julianna Cogliandro and Kathryn McNany also had three-goal hat tricks.
B’ville would make up some ground late, Lea Otts earning three goals and two assists as Olivia Bartlett scored twice, with single goals going to Jaya Madigan (who had two assists), Peyton Dyl, Addie Garcia and Raegan Ratliff. Yet it could not quite catch up, thwarted by 12 saves from F-M goalie Micaela Jennings.
Victor, on Saturday, ran all over B’ville in a 22-3 defeat, the Blue Devils going up 15-2 by halftime. Bartlett again managed a pair of goals, with Garcia also converting and Otts getting two assists.
In this last week of the regular season, the girls Bees go to Liverpool and host Cicero-North Syracuse, the same pair of neighbors and rivals B’ville’s boys will meet on the same Tuesday and Thursday nights.
