Wildcats Win Battle of Unbeatens

In what has been billed as a week of challenging tests to gauge the strength and superiority of the West Genesee Wildcats in 2005, the 'Cats passed test number two, albeit another reletively close one, against previously undefeated Cicero North Syracuse. Whomever took control of this game early would stand a chance to walk away as the only undefeated Class A team in Section 3 and make an early statement the "Cats did before crusing on to a 10-6 victory,their 9th of the season.

It took until the 10:39 mark of the first quarter for the Wildcats to make their mark as senior middie Tim Griffin working the ball from behind saw Mark Cometti streaking in straight toward CNS goalie Dan Brown from the right side. With a quick flick of the wrist Griffin nailed Cometti with a perfect pass which he then ripped past Brown for a 1-0 jump out of the gates for the 'Cats. It didn't end there. At the 6:52 mark Jeff Ryan worked the Genny patented back door pass to perfection delivering up an assist to senior Tim Spillett who bumped the Wildcat lead to 2-0. Despite the quick lead by Genny, the Northstar's defensive unit pestered and frustrated the 'Cats throughout the opening half by negating numerous scoring attempts and clinging like fly paper to the Wildcat players.

Tim Spillett found a way to avoid his defender and serve up a nice assist from behind to a streaking Tim Griffin who in turn planted a shot in the top left corner with 2:55 remaining to push the 'Cats lead to 3-0 and the rowdy CNS fans in attendance temporarily fell silent. Off a Wildcat turnover on offense, the Northstars quickly advanced the ball upfield closing with middie Justin Ianzito running North/South and flinging a righthanded bounce shot just under McKeon's stick for their first goal making the score 3-1.

Ianzito struck again one minute into the second when he deposited a quick bounce shot past McKeon to cut the lead to one and the Northstars had life after all. After jumping on the Northstars early, at times the Wildcats play again was pock marked with inconsistency, indecision and some forced passes which played into the Northstars hands just nicely during this quarter. CNS tied the game with 1:44 remaining in the half as Jeff Colburn charging from behind spun around defender Sean Leahy and bounced a shot that tucked into the top left corner to knot the score at three a piece.

After a few half time adjustments by Coach Mike Messere the 'Cats came at the Northstars first as Cometti, off an isolation play , came in on the left hand side untouched and ripped a bounce shot past Brown to put the Wildcats up 4-3. At the 8:51 mark CNS answered right back as Jeff Gilbert penetrated the zone and from three feet out and to the right of McKeon pushed a shot in to tie the game a four. Again off the transition and a forced turnover, Genny quickly advanced the ball like with precision and struck when Tim Spillett hit Jeff Ryan with a pass on the doorstep and as he was cross checked from behind, deposited the ball in the cage and a 5-4 lead with 5:33 remaining in the third.

All too often this season the Cat man-up advantage has seen no results on the scoreboard and today was no exception. As one man-up situation came up empty, the 'Cats found themselves with a golden opportunity served up on a silver platter when the Northstars were whistled for two seperate infractions within seconds...and then the unthinkable occured. Right off the whistle, a lazy pass was picked off right in the middle and advanced upfield where they promptly killed off both and avoided a near disaster. The 'Cats made up for their errors when again off the fast break, Genny made the 'Stars pay as senior defender Sean Leahy advanced the ball within 15 yards of the cage before flicking a pass to David Osier on the left of the goal. Osier wasted no time with a quick side step and planted the ball in the net for a 6-4 lead with 2:04 remaining. With 1:24 to go junior Kevin Courtney cutting across the middle passed back to Spillett who from four yards out flicked in a shot and a 7-4 advantage. Defender Steve Prosonic drew the assignment of covering Stars leading scorer Nick Lococo and shut him down he did. Prosonic was in Lococo's face the entire game, never really allowing him to get too much space nor any clear looks on the cage in holding him to just one assist on the day.

The final stanza saw the Northstars strike first on a man-up of their own when Nick Blumer buried a shot in the top right corner with 7:26 remaining to bring CNS within two. Just when the Northstars thought they were back in the game Courtney broke their back six seconds later when straight from winning the faceoff he charged up field and bulled his way through defenders scrambling into position. While falling to his knees he whipped a shot past Brown to bump the lead to 8-5 in an unbelievable play that brought the Wildcat Nation to their feet. Between Courtney and Brian Griffin, the 'Cats took 10 of 18 draws against Kyle Dolan, the Northstars face-off ace, to control possesion for the 'Cats. Jeff Gilbert gave the Northstars their last gasp when he tallied to make the score 8-6 before senior Brian Griffin answered with an assist from Ryan with 4:37 remaining by sweeping in from the right to again pad the lead to 3. The final nail came as Mark Cometti found Spillett on the doorstep again when he quick-sticked in his third goal of the day with 2:33 remaining to keep the Wildcats undefeated at 9-0 and for their 18th straight victory.