The sound of the final buzzer meant that Fayetteville-Manlius had officially beaten Cicero-North Syracuse, 11-5, and it was time to sprint to the goalkeeper.
But, though the Hornets have rushed their goalie many times before, it was different this time around. They were running out to celebrate not only the victory and the excitement it would typically bring along, but to also celebrate the save that Andrew Testani made in the closing seconds.
It was the first save of the season for Testani, who has had a limited role throughout this season and his career as a lacrosse player. He played in just a few games last season and hadn’t seen the field this year up until this point, which made this moment so special and one that he is going to remember for a long time.
However, it is the emotional roller coaster that will stick with him as he reflects on the save. He said that it will be hard to forget the jog out there and how he wondered if he was prepared, but the excitement of the whole thing is unforgettable.
“I felt like a child because I was so excited,” said Testani, who is going to Ithaca College this fall and playing football. “My favorite part was when the team came to get me at the end because that was such a cool feeling.”
Aside from the save that had the Hornets amped up and celebrating, there are a number of positive things that head coach Doug Madden and his assistants can take away from this contest.
In its fourth straight win, F-M (6-5, 3-4) played very well and showed that it has several talented lacrosse players, something that it has done since beating Christian Brothers Academy last weekend and throughout the hot streak.
On offense, the Hornets had many good looks at goal, but it was Nick Papa, Jack Shanley, and Chris Lubrino who carried the load, which has been the case throughout the year. They had seven goals among the three of them — Papa had three, and then Lubrino and Shanley had two apiece.
Although Shanley struggled to find his groove during the three-game losing streak that served as a precursor for this terror, it has come to him, which makes the offense even more difficult for teams to defend.
Instead of just having one player who is worthy of double-teaming, F-M has, at least, three guys who can win a one-on-one battle, and that’s going to be the thing that separates them from many teams.
Next up for F-M is Saturday afternoon’s game at Pittsford. C-NS (5-8, 2-6) plays again on Tuesday, when it visits Baldwinsville.
