CENTRAL NEW YORK – Even if future Cazenovia boys lacrosse teams will have the benefit of an artificial turf home field full-time, there is still something special about going out to the Sean Googin Sports Complex for a big game.
That was the case again last Tuesday night when the Lakers honored its seniors and engaged in a tense, close battle with Homer before taking an 8-7 overtime defeat to the Trojans.
Six seniors received accolades – D.B. Falge, Alex Kuper, Levi Doroshenko, Tyler Scholtzhauer, Sean Larkin and Keegan Vass – as Cazenovia met a Homer side sporting a 9-5 record.
For most of the game, the Lakers’ experienced defense made the difference, frustrating Homer and forcing turnovers while also turning back many other scoring chances thanks to Tucker Ives stopping 16 of 24 shots he faced.
Despite this, Cazenovia could not take full advantage, and it saw a 7-6 lead late in regulation get away, the Trojans tying it and then winning the OT face-off and holding the ball until converting the game-winner.
Falge, as he has done many times this season, paced the Lakers’ attack with three goals and one assist, his point total matched by Paul Mitchell’s two goals and two assists. Owen Porter and Finn Hagan had the other goals.
Then Cazenovia had to face state Class D no. 3-ranked Marcellus, who sported a 13-game win streak after dropping its season opener to Fayetteville-Manlius.
And the Lakers never got on the board in a 19-0 loss to the Mustangs, who limited Cazenovia to seven shots overall. Ives had 14 saves, but Marcellus was led by Nick Rayfield’s six goals and Adam Rayfield’s four goals and two assists.
Chittenango entered the week at the .500 mark, but then fell below it last Tuesday in a 13-7 defeat to Syracuse City, who built an 8-3 advantage by halftime and then answered any attempt by the Bears to catch up led by Evan O’Neil’s six goals, with Patrick Boyle and Finn Smith each getting three goals and two assists.
Again pacing Chittenango’s attack, Brendon Barnard scored four times, contributing an assist. The other goals went to Henry Miller, David Oyewole and Norm Coomer as Connor Bradbury, in goal, recorded 19 saves.
A day later, the Bears recovered in a big way against Utica Proctor, ripping the Raiders 14-4 as it steadily worked its way to a 13-4 lead through three periods led by Barnard’s three goals and four assists and Bradbury stopping 18 of the 22 shots he faced.
Miller and Cole Dawkins also had three-goal hat tricks, Miller getting two assists and Dawkins a single assist. Peter Schulz converted twice, with Kole Smith and Hunter Burrows also converting.
But Chittenango lost 7-4 to Thousand Islands in Saturday’s regular-season finale, managing just one goal in each quarter. Bradbury kept it close with 19 saves, while Dawkins scored twice and the other goals went to Barnard and Peter Schulz.
