ONONDAGA COUNTY – If indeed Tuesday’s girls soccer clash between Marcellus and Christian Brothers Academy foretold a Section III Class B playoff rematch, then the Mustangs have to really feel good about its chances.
Balanced on offense and superb on the defensive side, the state no. 1-ranked Mustangs shut out the no. 4-ranked Brothers 3-0, and did so right on CBA’s home turf at Alibrandi Stadium.
A first-half goal was all that Marcellus needed, but it tacked on two more. Lexie Fragnito got her 21st goal of the season, with Jadyn Baker and Corrine Aldrich also converting. An assist was credited to Neve Murphy.
Defensively, the entire Mustangs back line did a wondrous job containing CBA’s young and talented group of forwards, funneling chances toward goalkeeper Tenly Baker, who stopped everything. Brothers goalie Cara Macaluso had 11 saves.
To close an undefeated regular season Marcellus traveled to Mexico Thursday and put up double digits on the scoreboard on the way to defeating the Tigers 10-1.
Fragnito poured in four goals and added an assist, while Cece Powell roared back to form, also scoring four times to run her season total to 18 Marielle Kennedy added a goal, with assists going to Alie Kaup, Jadyn Baker and Sophia Pilon.
West Genesee will also be defending a sectional title, in Class AA, and got one more big victory before the post-season Friday night with a comprehensive 5-0 romp over Liverpool.
Chelsea Donaldson and Addison Kensey, each with one goal and one assist, led a well-balanced attack that also saw Anna Nelson, Sofia Snyder and Kelly O’Donnell convert, with Tori Hulbert and Riley Butler gaining assists.
Bishop Ludden, whose late-season surge produced a no. 19 state Class C ranking, will go into the sectional playoffs at 14-2 following Thursday’s tough 2-1 win over Tully.
At 12-3 going into the game, the Black Knights kept the Gaelic Knights off the board in the first half and got a late goal from Aislyn Patrick, only to have Ludden convert twice in the second half.
Ashley Pawelczyk notched her 22nd goal of the season, with Sophia Chemotti also converting. Grace Olivia got credit for an assist and each of goalie Tatum Gilbertson’s eight saves proved crucial to the outcome.
Elsewhere, Westhill battled hard Tuesday for a 3-2 overtime victory over Syracuse City, surrendering a 1-0 halftime lead as Keani Diggs and Lily Lockwood scored to pace Syracuse’s comeback.
Still, it got to OT at 2-2 and the Warriors won it in the extra period having seen Allison Langham, Siena Jetter and Bella Gallardo earn goals, assists credited to Molly Dorfman and Schuyler Auringer. In goal, Ava Antoine recorded four saves.
Given all of its atypical struggles this fall, what Westhill did Saturday in its regular-season finale against Skaneateles had to set off some alarms for future playoff opponents.
The Warriors bashed the Lakers 6-0, getting away with a five-goal second half as Jetter led the way, converting twice. Dorfman, Auringer, Delaney Good and Aubrey Holowinski all joined in with goals and Abby Rudiger added an assist.
Before this, Skaneateles shut out Hannibal/Cato-Meridian 2-0 on Tuesday, the game scoreless until a second-half Lakers surge where Allie Michel landed one goal and assisted on Lily Kennedy’s tally, all of it overcoming 16 saves from Hannibal/Cato goalie Sophia Salladin.
