ONONDAGA COUNTY – Even with its Sept. 19 setback at Fayetteville-Manlius the Liverpool boys soccer team maintained its spot inside the top 10 of the state Class AA rankings, though the Hornets jumped up to no. 9 right in front of the Warriors.
A full week of recuperation followed before a stretch of three games in less than 48 hours that would include battles against two proven league foes, West Genesee and Baldwinsville.
WG came first, coming off its own defeat to F-M earlier in the week, and Liverpool didn’t let them turn it around, doing just enough on both ends to beat the Wildcats 2-1.
A steady, effective Warriors defense blanked WG in the first half and then answered when the Wildcats’ Jake McMahon broke through for a second-half goal.
Christian Hope and Connor Lynch converted for Liverpool, with assists credited to Dom Paolini and Cam Farrell. WG’s chances were minimized and Jacob McQuatters only had to make four saves.
B’ville arrived on Saturday bent on avenging its 1-0 defeat to the Warriors earlier in the month, and it did get on the board – but still could not solve Liverpool, who won another 2-1 decision.
They played a scoreless first half, similar to the first meeting, and the Bees broke its shutout streak to Liverpool when Owen Daly, taking a pass from Aidan Holcomb, put a shot past Jacob McQuatters.
Despite this, Liverpool took full advantage of its rare opportunities, twice finding the net late thanks to goals by Farrell and Bobby McQuatters, with Hope adding an assist.
Meanwhile, Cicero-North Syracuse continued to climb out of its early-season woes, finally getting its first win of the season on its seventh try last Thursday when it beat Henninger 2-0 at Sunnycrest Field.
Titus Dimitroff proved the spark for the Northstars, his deft passes setting up goals by Ryan Frisch and Kaydin Ruggaber as the defense limited the Black Knights to just three shots all night.
Going for two in a row Saturday against Corcoran/ITC, C-NS got it with another shutout, this time by a 5-0 margin thanks to a season-high goal total.
Dante Melfi found the net twice, as did Brayden Esposito, with Dimitroff earning the other goal and also tacking on an assist. Again the defense did not let the opposition do too much, Corcoran/ITC limited to two direct shot attempts.
A rematch with Corcoran/ITC follows a game with West Genesee for the Northstars, while Liverpool is off this week, not returning to action until Oct. 8 against Henninger two days before its rematch with C-NS at the Gillette Road complex.
