While it might be true that the Baldwinsville girls lacrosse team has a long road ahead to find some of its past glory, it’s not as far away as it was a season ago.
Where in 2024 the Bees could not knock off Fayetteville-Manlius in two closely-fought contests, this spring it already has got the best of the Hornets, pulling it out 11-10 last Monday night at F-M Stadium.
Patience and relentless work on the attack made the difference as B’ville overcame 13 saves by Hornets goalie Micaela Jennings with a well-balanced approach.
Peyton Dyl scored three times, with Lea Otts and Jaya Madigan both earning two goals and two assists. Gisella Trousdale and Raegan Ratliff also got two goals, with Bella Sebast adding a goal and each of Makenna Polky’s seven saves proving important.
F-M’s Taylor Novack earned a game-high four goals and Jane Ryan scoring three times as Helen Dougherty got two goals and one assist. Addison Keyes and Mallory Burns added goals.
Now the Bees faced back-to-back tests late in the week, first against long-time rival Liverpool and then 24 hours later against Section II’s Shenendehowa.
Liverpool was cast aside in an 18-11 victory where B’ville got a career-best performance from Ratliff, who not only put in six goals but tacked on a pair of assists.
Three others – Otts, Dyl and Trousdale – earned three-goal hat tricks, with Otts and Dyl adding assists. Isabella Sebast, Ava Donardo and Isabella Brewster also picked up goals.
Shenendehowa was next, and without any rest B’ville charged out of the gate, grabbing a 9-4 advantage by halftime. Though the attack cooled down, the defense did enough late to help the Bees win again by a 13-8 margin.
Ratliff’s four goals gave her 12 for the week, tacking on a pair of assists as Dyl also scored four times. Otts finished with four assists as she joined Layne Macknik with two goals. Trousedale added a goal and Giavonna Johnson got an assist.
Three more games happen this week starting Tuesday at reigning state Class A champion Cicero-North Syracuse, continuing Thursday against visiting West Genesee (who beat B’ville 15-7 earlier this season) and a Saturday 10 a.m. game at Fulton.
