The last time the Cicero-North Syracuse baseball team hoisted a section championship banner was back in 2016. That changed on Sunday at Onondaga Community College.

The Northstars avenged last season's championship loss and defeated defending champion Christian Brothers Academy, 5-2, in extra innings to claim the Section III Class AAA title.

"It's been nine years since we've gotten a section championship, so we wanted it even more this year," C-NS winning pitcher Jeremy Palmer said. "So everybody was pumped up, ready to do it, and it took all of us, and I'm so happy."   

With the game tied in the top of the eighth inning and two runners on, C-NS turned to small ball to take control of the game. Kyle Kulikowski laid down a bunt that scored Lawson Weckesser and gave the Northstars a one-run lead.

"We practice it a bunch," C-NS coach Stephan Bailey said. "... It was a team effort today and I couldn't be more proud of this group of young men."

Shacory Williams followed up with a single to drive in a run and eventually scored on a balk to make the score 5-2.  

The Northstars got off on the right foot on Sunday when Chris Williams drove home Jaden Zimmer to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Things looked like they could come undone for C-NS in the second inning.

Starting pitcher Kaden Kalfass was pulled from the game in the top of the second inning after walking a batter and allowing him to reach third on a wild pitch to begin the inning.

"It was a feel," Bailey said of pulling Kalfass. "We had all the confidence in the world — and I know Kaden will agree — that the rest of the pitching staff ... they stepped up in the big moments all year."

Landon Cook relieved Kalfass with a runner on third and inherited a 2-1 count. He walked that batter and two runs scored that inning. Jimmy Kennedy scored on a Tim Scholl groundout and Nick Menar scored when Michael Giamartino reached on a dropped third strike.

While CBA scored two runs that inning, it felt like a missed opportunity since the team started the inning with two runners on and no outs and eventually had the bases loaded with one out.

"Baseball gods," CBA coach Patrick Wiese said on his team's inability to capitalize. "Our guys played a heck of a game and we were presented with a chance to win and unfortunately, the ball just did not bounce our way. And that's all you can ask for."   

A fielder's choice and a groundout ended the inning for CBA and kept things close.

The Brothers couldn't get the timely hit they needed to break the game open, and the Northstars made them pay.

After CBA's two-run second inning, the C-NS bullpen shut down what is usually a dominant CBA offense.

Cook pitched two innings, allowing two hits, no earned runs, one walk and struck out two. Palmer came in and pitched five scoreless innings, surrendered four hits, no walks and racked up three strikeouts.

"I came in and just had to do the job," Palmer said. "And coach is a great coach. He told us all year that we're a good pitching staff and that it's going to take all of us, and it did today."

C-NS has been in tight games many times this season, including a regular-season game against CBA earlier this season. Those moments prepared the Northstars for the battle they faced in Sunday's championship.

"We're a group of tough kids, and we've got a couple on this squad that epitomize that toughness that it takes to win games just like this," Bailey said. "... It's been a group of guys that stick together through the good and the bad, the easy and the hard. It's a group that we're proud of that wears the Northstars across their chest and they handle their business the right way."  

The Northstars displayed their resiliency when they tied the game in the top of the sixth inning.

CBA's Tom Menar was pitching a gem and had held C-NS scoreless for the second, third, fourth and fifth innings.

"Tom has been a rock for us," Wiese said. "Since day one, every game he's pitched in, he's always given us a chance to win. And today was no different. He went up there and he gave us a chance to win."

Zimmer led off the top of the sixth inning with a single for the Northstars and made his way to third after an errant throw on a pick-off attempt and tagging up on a fly ball. Shacory Williams then grounded out, but drove home Zimmer to tie the game at 2-2.

That glimmer of hope was all C-NS needed to swing momentum in its favor and pull off the win.

"It was our turn," Palmer said of the message coach Bailey gave the team before extra innings. "We hit the ball hard all game, and it's a matter of time before it's going to happen. He told us to keep fighting and good things were going to happen."

Good things did happen and the Northstars managed to pull off the win.   

"We've come up in big moments all year, put ourselves in this position," Bailey said. "So proud of this group of kids."

C-NS was led on offense by Shacory Williams, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI. Chris Williams went 1-for-3 and drove in a run.

Menar pitched all eight innings for CBA, surrendered two earned runs, three hits, three walks and struck out eight.

The Brothers' offense was led by Kennedy, who went 2-for-3 and scored a run.

CBA finishes the season 15-7 and one win short of a second straight Class AAA championship.

"Every year is different and it's all based on the senior leadership," Wiese said. "And I couldn't be more proud of how our eight seniors stepped up this year and took the underclassmen under their wings. It's not the outcome we wanted. It's a zero-sum game, like anything. There's going to be a winner, there's going to be a loser and unfortunately, we ended up on the wrong side of a very well-played ball game."

The Northstars improve to 13-5 on the season and will chase a regional championship when they play the Section II champion at 6 p.m. on Saturday at OCC.