CENTRAL NEW YORK – As the season wears on, the Cazenovia boys lacrosse team has continually shown itself to be a tough opponent to deal with, especially on the defensive side.
Seven times in its first 12 games, the Lakers have held an opponent to single-digit goals, and it’s also managed four victories without getting to the 10-goal mark, too.
Another example of this was last Tuesday night’s 7-4 win at Tully, where Cazenovia nearly replicated, right down to the score, its 7-4 victory over the Black Knights on April 11.
Start to finish, Cazenovia’s back line made sure Tully didn’t get many chances. All told, the Black Knights had 12 shots, eight of them stopped by Tucker Ives.
When the Lakers were able to produce goals, D.B. Falge was the focal point, finding the net three times for a hat trick and adding a pair of assists. Alex Kuper got two goals, with Paul Mitchell adding a goal and assist and Owen Porter also converting.
An even bigger test loomed on Thursday night at Hyatt Stadium, Cazenovia challenging state Class D no. 4-ranked Skaneateles – and almost getting shut out.
Skaneateles won this Laker duel 13-1, only giving up a third-quarter goal to Kuper assisted by Falge, which came after the hosts built a 6-0 halftime advantage.
Of the 13 shots Cazenovia took, 12 of them were stopped by Skaneateles goalies Jack Marquardt and Luke Logan. Meanwhile, on the other end Skaneateles was well-balanced as nine different players had goals, Landen Brunelle’s hat trick leading the way.
If they ever did meet, Cazenovia knew exactly who it had to stop on Chittenango’s offense – Brendon Barnard, who had gone on an absolute tear in the Bears’ two most recent games.
It was Barnard netting seven goals in an epic four-overtime win over Central Square May 2 and, two nights later against Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, improving to eight goals, every one of them a necessity in a 13-12 win over the Red Devils.
What saved the Bears against VVS was that Peter Schulz, with just five goals on the season entering that game, tacked on five more to account for the rest of Chittenango’s production, while Connor Bradbury was superb in the net, recording 18 saves.
Then, in Saturday’s game against Fulton, the Bears were humbled in a 14-1 defeat to the Red Dragons, who were led by Landon Wakefield’s four goals and Xavier Doty’s three goals and five assists. Only a fourth-quarter tally by Macksen Cliff prevented a shutout, assisted by Cole Dawkins.
