'Cats Return To Winning Ways

The West Genesee boy's varsity lacrosse team (12-2) captured a 9-4 victory over class IV foe Vestal (10-4) during a matinee game Saturday at West Genesee High School. The Golden Bears who pressed the Cats during last years Sectional title run were supposed to give Genny a battle but in the end it was the Cats from beginning to end.

It took West Genny a while to get on the board 1-0, but at 4:19 they did on an unassisted goal by senior attackman Chris Schmidt as he cut around the right side of the goal, took a hit bobbled the ball but then put it past junior Vestal goalie Joe Davis. Vestal nearly tied the game at 2:20 when senior middie Andy Deer passed to senior middie Chris Dutkowsky who whipped a point blank shot at the Genny goal but junior goalie John Galloway proved equal and made the save. Less than a minute later 1:44 junior attackman Collin Donahue added to the Genny lead 2-0, when he came around the right post and stuck a shot in the bottom left corner of the goal.Once again the Golden Bears searched for an answer as sophomore middie Chris Cook beat several Genny defenders and met Galloway on the doorstep only to be turned away again to end the first quarter.

It was the Cats striking first in the second quarter as they once again attacked the right side of the goal. At 11:22 senior attackman Chris Schmidt beat Davis with an assist from sophomore middie Luke Cometti for a 3-0 lead. The Cats added their fourth consecutive goal at 8:43 with a right handed unassisted shot that hit the upper right corner for a 4-0 lead. Vestal finally solved the Galloway, Wildcat defensive puzzle 4-1 with a goal from Cook as his bounce shot hit the top right corner of the goal with 5:42 to go.

The first Cats offensive possession of the thir quarter didn't come until 8:45 as Vestal used a sustained offensive possession to keep Genny off the board. Less than 30 seconds after the Cats retained the ball junior middie Joe Pompo made the score 5-1 as his shot eluded Davis and found its way under the cross bar.

Genny extended their lead to 6-1 at 6:26 when junior attackman Brian Donahue backed his way into the Vestal cage against repeated attempts by his defender to turn him back. With 4:01 left in the third senior middie Matt Grogan took a shot that Davis steered aside, but Collin Donahue gathered the ball behind and flipped out front to Brian Donahue who added his second consecutive goal for a 7-1 lead.

Vestal opened the fourth with only their second goal of the game 7-2 at 10:55 with a goal by Travis Harrington, who's shot while falling to the ground skimmed underneath Galloway's stick.

Genny had an answer for the Golden Bears with a goal at 7:30 from senior attackman Robbie Farchione who cut to the crease took a pass from Collin Donahue and made it 8-2. Collin then made it 9-2 with Genny's final goal of the game with an unassisted goal that found its way in just inside the right post. Vestal ended the game with a goal as time expired to make the final score 9-3.