ONONDAGA COUNTY – Through an 0-3 start, the young Cicero-North Syracuse girls soccer team had to quickly grow up and try to rise to the level of the tough competition it had to face.
But it may not have taken long for these Northstars to arrive – as Liverpool discovered, up close.
The two neighbors and rivals last Monday night at LHS Stadium, and C-NS went in front early, yet saved its best work for a second half where it ran through all of the Warriors’ defenses and didn’t stop until it had a 5-1 victory in the books.
With its speed and pressure, the Northstars got in front 1-0 by halftime and kept swarming against Liverpool goalkeeper Gracie Sleeth, who picked up 13 saves.
The late getaway was led by the duo of eighth-grade Sloane Raymond and freshman Evelyn Magente, who both hit on a pair of goals, while Gianna Melfi had a goal and assist.
Abby Mackey had two assists and single assists went to Lilah Kelly and Adrianna Calabria, all of which negated the Warriors’ lone goal which came from Mia Wright.
C-NS now set its sights on Thursday’s match at Baldwinsville, where it showed a little more defensive vulnerability but still, with its improving attack, did enough to defeat the Bees 3-2.
B’ville was playing it sixth game in 14 days and had started 5-0 before a 2-0 defeat to West Genesee two nights earlier. Here, the Bees would get on the board fgainst the young C-NS back line, with Nadia Guzman and Natalie Hollingshead each producing goals.
Still, the Northstars would get out in front and stay there thanks to goals by Mackey, Magente and sophomore Emery Kozdemba, Each of Natalie LaPoint’s five saves would prove important.
Off until Saturday, 1-2 Liverpool, with its own battle against B’ville looming on Wednesday, faced Section IV’s Vestal on Saturday afternoon and dropped a 3-0 decision to the Golden Bears, seeing the game get away late as Sleeth finished with eight saves.
C-NS, meanwhile, opened weekend action with an 8-1 romp over Athens (Pennsylvania) as Kozdemba and Raymond both notched two goals, with single goals going to Magente, Alexa Belknap, Briar Raymond and Katalina Lawrence. Calabria and Raymond each got an assist.
