CENTRAL NEW YORK – All was just as the Cazenovia boys lacrosse team planned it, at least for much of last Thursday’s game against Christian Brothers Academy at Alibrandi Stadium.
Controlling the tempo and playing superb defense, the Lakers found itself right with the state Class B no. 10-ranked Brothers, only to see the plans blow up late in an 11-5 defeat.
For a long while this resembled two other games Cazenovia won in April – 4-2 over Carthage and 5-4 over Jordan-Elbridge – with a low-scoring first half played exactly on the Lakers’ terms.
They were tied 2-2 after one period and 3-3 at halftime. Only in the third quarter did CBA sneak out in front for good, and even that was just a 5-4 margin going to the final period, so much of it due to goalie Tucker Ives, who finished with 19 saves.
Then the Brothers took charge, spreading its production around late as Vince Lazzaro had a three-goal hat trick and four others – Jack Wichmann, Jack Vaughn, Ben Anderson and Liam Hardy – had two goals apiece, Wichmann adding four assists.
Ben Bianco was mostly contained, but the Lakers forward still had two assists. Owen Porter scored twice, goals also going to Basil Sayre and Bobby Livingston.
Recovering on Saturday against Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, Cazenovia put away the Red Devils 17-6 seeing Bianco return to his typical form, scoring five times and tacking on four assists.
Paul Mitchell was potent, too, netting four goals and one assist. Livingston and Porter both managed three-goal hat tricks, with Jack Frazee and Sam Kupinsky getting the other goals. Sayre and Finn Hagan earned assists.
Chittenango was only 1-5 going into last Thursday’s game against Syracuse City, but managed to get its second win of the season by a slim 7-5 margin.
Breaking out of a 3-3 halftime tie, the Bears went ahead for good in the third quarter and were helped mainly by a sensational effort in goal by Connor Bradbury who stopped 16 of Syracuse’s 23 shots.
Henry Miller’s three goals and two assists carried the Chittenango attack. Cole Dawkins scored twice, with Joey DiNatale and Peter Schulz adding goals and DiNatale contributing an assist.
Winning again on Saturday afternoon, the Bears edged Utica Proctor 8-6, giving itself some momentum before it faces Cazenovia this Thursday night at 5:30. The Lakers also have games at Tully and General Brown this week.
