CENTRAL NEW YORK – Even as it has placed itself atop the list of Section III Class C title contenders, the Jamesville-DeWitt girls lacrosse team was eager to challenge itself against more large-school foes.
And none was tougher than West Genesee, whom the Red Rams faced last Thursday night as the Wildcats were coming off its first defeat of the season to reigning state Class A champion Cicero-North Syracuse.
Whether it was the timing of the game or the sheer quality of its own play, J-D pulled through in a big way, topping WG by a 10-6 margin which showed that its no. 13 state Class C ranking might be quite low.
All game long the Rams’ defense bothered the Wildcats, forcing it into long possessions and not letting any single player get past them. Only Molly Doran scored twice on WG’s side.
J-D didn’t have many individual standouts, either, but its depth was outstanding as eight different players produced the 10 goals.
Only Sadie Withers and Lillian Wells scored twice. Kylee Gallagher, Sanaya Seth and Ella Parker both got a goal and assist, with Lauren Mills, Alexis Scaramuzzino and Merris Kessler also finding the net.
This followed a tough game last Monday against Auburn where J-D, for the third time this season, won a game with exactly 10 goals, battling past the Maroons 10-8.
Even with Auburn largely controlling the game’s tempo, the Rams produced enough with Kessler going to the forefront thanks to her four goals and two assists.
Of her teammates, only Withers scored twice, single goals going to Scaramuzzino, Parker, Wells and Lacey Phaneuf. Maggie Bliss earned a pair of assists and goalie Pearson Eckrich recorded seven saves.
Off early last week week, Christian Brothers Academy was quite dominant when it returned last Thursday against Mexico, ripping past the Tigers 21-2.
Maeve Mackenzie, Lilah Kirch and Caroline Wilson had four goals apiece for the state Class C no. 15-ranked Brothers as Mackenzie added two assists. Sloane Massa earned five assists as Ryann Murphy got three goals and Aralise Whalen scored twice. Charlotte Wilson had one goal and one assist.
Then CBA pushed past Southern Hills 19-7 on Saturday and moved its overall record to 7-2, putting up 15 first-half goals with Mackenzie and Kirch again proving unstoppable.
Mackenzie augmented her six goals with a pair of assists, Kirch adding five goals and one assist. Massa had a three-goal effort as Murphy and Charlotte Wilson helped with two goals apiece, Caroline Wilson getting a goal and two assists.
East Syracuse Minoa took a tight 10-7 defeat to Auburn last Tuesday night. Only Liliana DiNatale got two goals, with Madison Wood, Caleigh Lampel, Lola Laxton, Jordis Aldrich and Lindsay Davis earning the other goals. Hannah Reichard and Taylor Adams led the Redhawks with three goals apiece to overcome goalie Claire Dutton’s 11 saves.
Then, in Thursday’s 13-12 overtime defeat to Syracuse City, ESM rallied from a 7-6 halftime deficit, yet could not break out in front at the end of regulation and could not contain Syracuse’s Alayna Wood, who carried her team with seven goals and three assists.
DiNatale scored four times, with Aldrich getting a three-goal hat trick. Wood put in two goals, with single tallies going to Laxton and Mackenzie Sage. Lampel had a goal and assist.
This four-game ESM skid ended Saturday when it beat Bishop Ludden/Bishop Grimes 13-7. Only up 6-5 at halftime, the Spartans pulled away late thanks to DiNatale and Aldrich each putting up four goals and Wood adding three goals. Laxton and Samantha Baumann had the other goals.
