ONONDAGA COUNTY – Not in any way did it matter that the Liverpool boys soccer team was 4-0-1 and no. 7 in the first state Class AAA rankings of the season and Cicero-North Syracuse was still winless.
It was the Warriors and the Northstars going head-to-head, and any time that happens the intensity of a rivalry can upend whatever the records might show.
So it wasn’t surprising that last Tuesday night’s clash at LHS Stadium went all 80 minutes with the outcome in doubt, C-NS going all-out and nearly getting it to overtime, but Liverpool prevailing 2-1.
Though it was in a defensive mode for a majority of the first half, the Northstars kept it within range, only allowing a single tally and trailing 1-0 going to the break.
Dante Melfi’s second-half goal meant that the Warriors had to get something more – which it did, overcoming Tyler Munnich’s eight total saves.
Bobby McQuatters scored for the hosts, as did Christian Hope, with Dominic Paolini and Connor Lynch getting assists.
Without much time to recuperate, Liverpool had to travel to face Fayetteville-Manlius Thursday night, and perhaps the toll of the C-NS game lingered as the Warriors absorbed its first loss of the season by that same 2-1 margin.
Dominic Giamartino scored off a feed from Connor Lynch in the first half. The Hornets matched it, though, and then pressured throughout the second half until netting the game-winner, F-M’s goals coming from Aiden Burkett and Connor Hutko with assists from Owen Pipes and Henry Dougherty.
This happened as C-NS again sought that first win, this time Saturday against Christian Brothers Academy after Thursday’s game with Baldwinsville was postponed.
Melfi again put in a goal, this time in the second half after the Brothers took an early 1-0 advantage, and the Northstars were able to push it to overtime only to see the Brothers prevail in yet another 2-1 decision, this despite 10 saves from Munnich.
At 0-5-1 overall, C-NS resumes late this week with games at Henninger Thursday and Corcoran/ITC on Saturday, with Liverpool facing the Cougars as part of a big homestand that also includes West Genesee on Thursday and a rematch with Baldwinsville, whom it beat 1-0 earlier this month, on Saturday.
