The Cincinnatus boys soccer team faced some adversity against a tough McGraw team Wednesday at Bennett St. Field, but the Lions managed to pull out a 2-0 win on a wet, windy day. Cincinnatus swept the Eagles in the season series.
Cincinnatus was without starting midfielder Trevor Shevalier and starting center back Koda Temple. Shevalier has been dealing with a medical issue and Temple had to sit after being shown a pair of yellow cards in the last game against Stockbridge Valley/Morrisville-Eaton. Cincinnatus head coach Jherrett Maroney was happy with the way Colton Streichert and Avram Moses, the two new starters, stepped up.
“We had some guys that really stepped up for us (Wednesday),” Maroney said. “Missing two key players creates two big holes. I’m impressed with the guys that came in and did the shift and got a lot of the minutes and a lot of good experience.”
McGraw looked to take advantage of the absences early, getting out to a hot start for the second time this season against the Lions. The Eagles sustained it a bit longer this time thanks to McGraw head coach Jamey Crumb’s decision to start star Logan Moffitt at striker. McGraw rattled off six corner kicks in the first 10 minutes of the game and dominated possession most of the first half.
“We need to (start Moffitt up top),” Crumb said. “He wins all over the middle, but he gets drawn to the ball a lot. He’s the only one who can go both ways and finish. He’s a complete player. I think it was the right decision, but we need to be able to find him up there or it’s counterproductive.”
Cincinnatus managed a goal with 11:11 left in the first half on a quick hitter from Jack Stafford to John Schuyler. Aside from that, the Lions struggled to create opportunities thanks to some whipping wind in their faces and an aggressive McGraw side.
“The weather played an issue, but they started Moffitt on top and Sutton in behind,” Maroney said. “Anytime he’s in the attacking third, it creates problems. It was a combination of both things, but a credit to them because, once again, they come out strong and give you a tough game. It’s trying to solve problems in real time –– making corrections and adjustments.”
As the first half wound down and McGraw was still scoreless, Crumb was pleading with his guys to put a goal away. The Eagles appeared unable to adjust to the wind, sending balls over the top too far and shots high and wide.
“They had trouble with all their goal kicks and getting it past our half and it was a big factor with our attack,” Crumb said. “It just didn’t help when it rolled out of bounds too fast for us. We knew we needed a tie. They didn’t have many chances before they scored and we had a ton in the first 10 or 15 minutes again. We have to find a way to put one away.”
As the teams flipped sides in the second half, so did the possession. Cincinnatus dominated the ball and McGraw was forced to adjust, but the Eagles had more offense working against the wind than the Lions did out of desperation.
Cincinnatus’ defense held strong all game, but senior goalkeeper Collin Holtmart stepped up to every challenge he faced. Holtmart stopped four shots and has continued his ascent to a top goalkeeper in the CCL.
“I think he’s sort of grown into it, even in just in the course of this season,” Maroney said. “It’s such an important position, but I think undervalued in a sense. They can’t make mistakes or it creates goals, but anyone else on the pitch can make a few. He’s done really well and because of that it allows everything else in front of him to move forward.”
Zach Streichert provided Cincinnatus with an insurance goal with 12:13 to go in the game. He cleaned up a Stafford shot that was mishandled by McGraw goalkeeper Zach Kahle.
Maroney’s squad is now 11-2 with a big cross-section match at Marathon at 4:30 p.m. Friday. He was happy with the way his guys got it together played in the second half, but still has something for them to work on.
“For us, I think once we settle down and get our composure we can move the ball around,” Maroney said. “We still have to develop our wide play, big time. It’s something we work on and talk about a lot. It gets so congested centrally that you have to be able to use the width to then create gaps and spaces to play in.”
Crumb was still somewhat happy with the way his team played in its second shot at Cincinnatus despite not getting a result.
“We knew on grass it’s a lot different,” Crumb said. “The bounces aren’t as predictable as on turf and it’s a lot easier to play clean. We knew they were without a couple guys and we knew we had a shot to go for it. We want to finish the season on a good note, so it was good we stayed competitive. But we let in an easy one and we didn’t put ours away.”
The Eagles will play again at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Otselic Valley.
BOYS SOCCER
MARCELLUS 1, HOMER 0
Levi Guay made 12 saves for Homer, but the Trojans allowed a first-half goal in their fourth consecutive loss.
MARATHON 11, MORAVIA 0
Kooper Cornell, Camdyn Kashuba and Colton Howe all scored twice for Marathon as the Olympians moved to 11-1-1 on the season. Cornell added an assist to his effort.
Aydan Brown chipped in a goal and an assist, Simon Donah, Barrett Trabucco, Alex Decker and Charlie Forkey scored a goal apiece and Colton Oram dished out two assists for Marathon. The Olympians outshot the Blue Devils 23-1 and won the corner kick battle 11-0.
Jack Lemmon made 14 saves for Moravia in a losing effort.
SOUTHERN CAYUGA 6, GROTON 0
Ethan Besler made 16 saves for Groton, which was in a scoreless tie at halftime.
GIRLS SOCCER
TULLY 4, BISHOP GRIMES 0
Four different players scored for Tully as the Black Knights bounced back after a three-game losing streak. Tully scored twice in each half.
Gloria Flatt, Kaylynne Bennett, Wren Lawton and Mari Woodcock scored once each for the Black Knights, while Gabby Flatt dished out three assists and Maddy Lund recorded one assist. Emily Hall saved five shots for the clean sheet.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
HOMER 3, SOLVAY 0
Homer picked up its 10th win of the season with a 25-12, 27-25, 25-21 road win. Izzi Tutino led the Trojans with eight kills, three aces and eight digs.
Dannica Smith contributed 21 assists, three digs and a block, Eila Spanbauer notched nine kills, an ace and 13 digs and Maria Partis added 11 digs and four aces. Samantha Sovocool (six digs, one kill, one ace), Camryn Wethje (five digs), Cheyenne Coolidge (three digs), Mickenlee Harris (two kills), Madison Singleton (two digs), Bailey Dady (one kill) and Lauren Oustad (one assist) also aided Homer’s win.
MORAVIA 3, GROTON 1
Kylee Cooper led Moravia with 14 kills, four aces, 10 service points and 11 digs as the Blue Devils won 25-19, 26-28, 27-25, 25-22.
Molly Axton added 24 assists, Annelise Kraan contributed 20 digs and 10 service points, Makena Gruver pitched in 14 digs, four aces and 13 service points, Kate Lawton had 11 digs, four aces and five service points, Daisy Drake notched six kills and two blocks and Synae Bartholomew had a block for Moravia.
Tessa LaTray topped Groton with seven kills, seven aces, 13 service points and five digs. Cami Parker followed LaTray up with 13 assists, two aces and six service points, Caryssa Persionius contributed 11 digs, Lacy Batzer had six assists and four digs, Abbi Haughwout had two kills, three aces, two blocks and six service points, Joslyn Staton went for four digs, two kills, an ace and a service point and Caydee Parker had an ace and three service points.
FIELD HOCKEY
HOMER 3, CAZENOVIA 1
Maggie Tucker, Mallory Kline and Dahlia Curry scored a goal each for Homer as the Trojans won their second game in a row. Homer got off 11 shots and six penalty corners to Cazenovia’s two shots and two penalty corners.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
FOOTBALL
Mexico at Cortland, 6:30 p.m. Friday
Homer at Indian River, 7 p.m. Friday
Waverly at Dryden, 7 p.m. Friday
Skaneateles at Southern Hills, 6:30 p.m. Friday
Elmira Heights at Moravia, 7 p.m. Friday
BOYS SOCCER
Cortland at Solvay, 5:30 p.m. today
Homer at Phoenix, 7 p.m. today
Bishop Ludden at Tully, 6:30 p.m. today
Cincinnatus at Marathon, 4:30 p.m. Friday
McGraw at Otselic Valley, 7:30 p.m. Friday
GIRLS SOCCER
Homer at Cortland, 7 p.m. today
Marathon at Moravia, 4:30 p.m. today
Cincinnatus at DeRuyter, 4:30 p.m. today
Dryden at Trumansburg, 7:30 p.m. today
Cortland at Fulton, 5:30 p.m. Friday
McGraw at Otselic Valley, 5:30 p.m. Friday
Onondaga/LaFayette at Tully, 4:30 p.m. Friday
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Cortland at Homer, 6 p.m. Friday
FIELD HOCKEY
Marathon at Moravia, 6:30 p.m. today
Cortland at Homer, 5 p.m. Friday
CROSS COUNTRY
Cincinnatus, Dryden, Tully at Newark Valley, 3:45 p.m. Friday
