CENTRAL NEW YORK – Whether it was stressful or relaxing, each of the area’s three girls lacrosse teams entering the Section III playoffs would make it through quarterfinal games on Tuesday night.
This included Fayetteville-Manlius, who in Class B returned to the post-season fray and, as the no. 3 seed, survived a tense battle with Central Square, rallying to outscore the Redhawks 15-13 to earn a semifinal date with no. 2 seed Watertown.
Central Square had gone 12-4 in the regular season and did quite well at the outset, containing the potent Hornets attack enough while converting and working its way to an 8-5 halftime advantage.
Then Taylor Novack and Julianna Cogliandro took over. Novack picked up 15 draw controls, giving F-M all kinds of extra possessions as its speed and skill wore down the Redhawks’ defenses. With her five goals, Novack surpassed 100 for her career, and she’s still only a sophomore.
Cogliandro would equal Novack’s total of five goals, grab two assists and earn five draw controls, while Kathryn McNany and Addison Keyes provided key support, each scoring twice. Central Square lost despite Hannah Reichard’s four goals and five assists plus three-goal hat tricks from Lauren McCorry, Melayna Miller and Jenna James.
Then there was Christian Brothers Academy, the no. 5 seed in Class B, who traveled to Holland Stadium that same night and pulled out a 13-12 thriller over no. 4 seed Auburn to earn a semifinal date with top seed and defending champion West Genesee.
It wasn’t stressful at the outset. Strong on both ends, the Brothers worked its way to a 9-4 halftime lead, entirely leaning its attack on the potent duo of Lilah Kirch and Maeve Mackenzie.
This continued deep into the second half, Kirch not letting up until she had netted seven goals and Mackenzie, who won nine draw controls, scoring five times. Madison Ceclia had three assists, with single assists going to Ryann Murphy and Emery McCartney.
Despite all this, Auburn almost made it back. Led by four goals apiece from Danielle Swietoniowski and Adalyn Bouley, the Maroons trimmed the margin to one late, but saw the comeback fall just short as each of CBA goalie Maddie Evans’ six saves proved important.
In stark contrast, Jamesville-DeWitt, holding the no. 3 seed in Class C, would breeze through its sectional quarterfinal at home against no. 6 seed New Hartford, smashing the Spartans 18-3 to advance to Thursday’s semifinal with no. 2 seed Fulton.
Above anything else, the Red Rams’ win was a tribute to its superior roster depth. No less than 11 different players netted goals, though it was Merris Kessler leading the way with five goal and one assist.
Caroline Stone, Sadie Withers and Ella Parker each scored twice, with Stone netting three assists. Alexis Scaramuzzino had a goal and three assists as Brooke Bort, Nithya Suryadevara, Lillian Wells, Lacey Phaneuf, Taylor Keehfus and Lauren Mills also found the net by game’s end.
