Cicero-North Syracuse girls lacrosse is the reigning Class A state champion — a title that comes with a target on its back.
As C-NS coach Stephanie Prentice puts it: "We definitely get everybody's best game."
That didn't matter in the state regional round as the Northstars surged past Section II's Niskayuna for a 22-9 victory on Saturday.
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C-NS put together its second consecutive outing with more than 20 goals in another compelling performance from its attack.
"It's ensuring the system we create is working," Prentice said. "The girls know it. They know what to do in order to score. The good thing for us is that everybody likes to share the ball. It's pretty easy to function that way when everybody's on the same page."
C-NS certainly spread the ball around against the Silver Warriors. Four different Northstars had at least three goals, with Elizabeth Smith and Sophia Graham leading the way with five apiece. Sophomore Miabella Gates served as the team's facilitator with four assists.
C-NS's experience against out-of-section competition was evident from the start. The Northstars, who played six different non-Section III opponents throughout the regular season, did not show any signs of weakness against an unfamiliar opponent.
"Each area has a unique game and a unique way of playing," Prentice said. "It really prepares us for everything we're going to see in the postseason. It exposes the girls to different ways of playing different players. I think it's a huge benefit to the team."
C-NS reached the regionals by taking down Section VII's Plattsburgh, 25-1, in the first round of the state tournament. The contest was a drastic turnaround from the Northstars' 18-17 victory over West Genesee in the Section III title game.
C-NS (19-1) advances to take on Section V's Penfield in the state semifinals Friday at SUNY Cortland. The Northstars narrowly defeated the Patriots in a 10-9 battle in the season opener.
"It's going to be a really close, great game," Prentice said. "They always play us really well and it's always close. We'll be coming in strong with the belief that we're going to win."
