In its long and proud history which includes a pair of state Class A championships, the Baldwinsville girls lacrosse team rarely has experienced anything close to what it did on April 5 at South Jefferson.
Against a Spartans team which reached the state Class D semifinals a season ago, the Bees were overwhelmed in all phases of the game and took an 18-5 defeat, though it was more a tribute to the opposition’s high level of play than anything wrong with B’ville.
South Jefferson had already played twice and had outscored its opponents (General Brown and Indian River) by a combined 44-4, and didn’t let up here, either, jumping out to a 10-2 advantage on B’ville by halftime.
Only a running clock kept it from getting too much more lopsided as Peyton Dyl and Raegan Ratliff each scored twice for the Bees, the other goal going to Jaya Madigan, who joined Lea Otts and Layne Macknik in the assist column.
Four different Spartans – Emma Kelley, Brooke Perry, Amalia Netto and Lydia Tremont – had three-goal hat tricks, Netto also piling up six assists.
All of this was a setback for a B’ville program desperate to recover from last spring’s 1-16 struggles, but it would get two chances late last week to turn it around.
Rome Free Academy came to Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium for last Thursday night’s home opener and, for a while, it looked like the struggles would continue – but with a strong second half on both ends, B’ville prevailed 12-7 and ended a victory drought against Section II foes which dated all the way back to the 2023 Section III Class A final.
B’ville started well with five goals in the first eight minutes, only to have the Black Knights roar back and eventually take a 6-5 advantage to halftime.
But two goals 16 seconds apart early in the third period put the Bees ahead for good, and it built from there until Dyl had registered five goals overall and Ratliff tacked on four goals. Otts picked up four assists to go with her pair of goals, and Addison Garcia also converted.
Another sign of growth for the Bees was the way it played Saturday on the road against Section V’s Pittsford, getting close to back-to-back victories before falling to the Panthers 8-7 in overtime.
Fighting its way to a 4-3 halftime advantage, B’ville would keep the game going through regulation helped by Dyl netting three goals and adding an assist.
Jaya Madigan chimed in with a pair of goals, while Otts and Ratliff also converted. Gisella Trousedale joined Dyl in the assist column and Makenna Polky, in goal, recorded six saves.
A tough test would await B’ville Tuesday at West Genesee, its only game this week during the school break.