ONONDAGA COUNTY – Now the big question was whether the Cicero-North Syracuse field hockey team measured up against defending sectional Class A champion Rome Free Academy and still had dominion over its rivals from Liverpool.

Neither would prove true – which was especially delightful for the Warriors, who after years of seeing the Northstars dominate their long-time rivalry turned it around last Friday in a 1-0 decision at LHS Stadium.

C-NS had rolled 4-0 the first time these teams met Sept. 19, and it remained Liverpool’s lone defeat. What characterized the rematch was how much the Warriors had improved on the defensive side.

All through the 60 minutes Liverpool broke up the Northstars’ chances, and when shots did get on net Jenna Hayes turned them away, finishing with nine saves.

And the reward came when the Warriors made a fourth-quarter push and Zoey Noyes, taking a pass from Emily Nestor, shot it past Olivia Planty, what turned out to be the game-winner.

They met in circumstances augmented by what happened two nights earlier – specifically, C-NS getting dropped 5-1 by Rome Free Academy in their first encounter since last fall’s sectional title game.

RFA entered the game at 10-1, its only blemish a 2-0 defeat to Buffalo Nichols on Sept. 29. In every other game, though, the Black Knights had scored at least three goals, and it wouldn’t get stopped by C-NS, either.

Try as it could, the Northstars’ defense could not contain RFA’s duo of Izzy McMahon and Danielle Kopek, both of whom would score twice as Fiona McMahon earned the other goal and Alexa Thompson picked up an assist.

This busy week started last Monday with C-NS battling its way past Baldwinsville 2-0 just as Liverpool found itself settling for a 1-1 tie with Fayetteville-Manlius.

At Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium, the Northstars, who handled the Bees 3-1 in their earlier meeting, found the rematch far closer for a long while thanks to 13 saves from B’ville goalie Chloe Butler.

Not until the fourth quarter did C-NS, clinging to a 1-0 lead, tack on an insurance goal. Addie Esce and Avery Carinci earned the goals, with Nicole Conklin contributing an assist.

As for the Warriors, it could not equal the 3-1 win it had over F-M back in September, but it didn’t hurt too much as, in a third encounter with B’ville Wednesday night, it shut out the Bees 2-0.

Taking 11 shots overall, Liverpool broke through by having Sophia Puccia and Riley Moyer pick up goals, with assists going to Chloe Youker and Gianna Carbone.

Good as that win was, what the Warriors did against C-NS topped it and might alter how the eventual seeding for the Section III Class A playoffs turn out.