CENTRAL NEW YORK – At some point the Skaneateles boys soccer team knew it would drop a post-season game, but the way the Lakers’ run as sectional and state Class B champions ended, and the opponent to which it did, left scars.
he memorable late-game comeback Marcellus put together in the 2023 sectional Class B final provided all the motivation the Lakers needed for their reunion with the Mustangs last Thursday night.
And while the game had far less stakes than the last meeting, it still proved close and tense, but Skaneateles did enough to pull out a 1-0 decision.
Dealing with injuries to key starters, the Lakers would muddle through much of this game running headlong into a Marcellus defense which has carried the team most of this fall.
Deep into the second half it remained 0-0, with few big opportunities, but all of that changed with nine minutes left in regulation.
Again Skaneateles pushed, and when Sam Ryan was fouled inside the 18-yard box he was awarded a penalty kick. Ryan fitted the shot past Ryan Stephens for what proved to be the game-winner.
The Lakers did not enter this game with much momentum especially since, two nights earlier, Westhill had come to Hyatt Stadium and pulled out a 2-1 victory over the Lakers.
Westhill had used its own 1-0 win over Marcellus on Sept. 16 on its climb to no. 5 in the latest state Class B rankings, well ahead of Skaneateles at no. 17.
Neither side converted until the second half, when Tim Cowin and Mason Franco both put in goals for the Warriors. Max Cowin added an assist, and the defense kept Skaneateles from pulling even in the game’s latter stages.
Marcellus also entered this game struggling at 1-4, having taken a 1-0 defeat to Christian Brothers Academy last Monday night at Alibrandi Stadium.
Again the Mustangs’ defense put up a solid showing, Ryan Stephens turning away 11 of 12 shots, but the goal he allowed to CBA’s Xavier Kucera in the first half held up as Rocco Grotto matched Stephens’ 11-save effort.
While Skaneateles and Marcellus battled, Westhill was putting away Syracuse Academy of Science 4-0 to move its overall record to 9-1 as it got away in the second half despite Atoms goalie Kerthieng Dut’s 18 saves.
Tim Cowin, with two assists, and Max Cowin, with a goal and assist, led a well-balanced Warriors attack. Franco, Eric Holstein, and Brahim Altheblah had the other goals, with Ryan Salisbury also notching an assist.
A day later, facing Lansing (no. 19 in the state in Class B), Westhill again proved impressive, prevailing 3-0 largely on the strength of Teddy DeMore’s pair of goals. Jackson Goodness also found the net.
In other games on Saturday, Skaneateles faced New Hartford and Marcellus took on Clinton, with the Lakers ending up in a 0-0 draw as it limited the Spartans to six shots, all stopped by Charles Carbonaro, but only managed four shots of its own.
As for the Mustangs, Clinton got the best of them 2-1, all the goals coming in the second half. Cam Stojkovski scored for Marcellus, assisted by Ben Locastro, but Luke Shaw and Brian Chang converted for the Comets as Jack Waterman saw a turn in goal and recorded seven saves.
