As the regular season concluded, the Cicero-North Syracuse football team found itself exactly where it was in 2022, which seemed to work out, at least at the local level.
Now, as then, the Northstars finished second in the Class AA-1 division regular-season standings, and again its only blemish was a loss to unbeaten Christian Brothers Academy.
CBA and C-NS go to the sectional playoffs as the top two seeds, heavily favored in most eyes to meet again at the JMA Wireless Dome in the Nov. 12 Class AA title game.
A year ago, the Northstars got even with the Brothers, ultimately claiming both sectional and regional titles before a state semifinal defeat to eventual state champion Buffalo Bennett.
What happens in 2023 remains an open question, but at least C-NS, along with Liverpool, go into the playoffs off victories.
At Bragman Stadium last Friday night, C-NS breezed past Utica Proctor 42-14, while the Warriors, who lost to the Northstars the week before and had suffered three consecutive defeats overall, ended that skid at Fayetteville-Manlius, defeating the Hornets by a score of 34-22.
In C-NS's case, the rainy conditions meant that it rarely threw the ball against Proctor, instead concentrating its attack on the ground and gaining 354 yards against the Raiders.
Leonzo Zimmerman led the Northstrars with 115 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. Anthony Johnson scored twice had 88 yards on just five carries, Jaxon Razmovski adding 72 yards on six carries.
The C-NS defense forced four Proctor turnovers. Alex D'Arrivo recovered a pair of fumbles, Marcus Reed added a fumble recovery and Tristan Johnson had an interception as Anthony Johnson had a team-best six tackles. Reed, Mason Mingle and James Magda had five tackles apiece.
