CENTRAL NEW YORK – What’s already apparent in the early stages of the 2024 season is that the East Syracuse Minoa boys soccer team carries a devastating attack that will require a sensational defensive effort to contain. The Spartans displayed this in three games last week, starting with a home opener against Oswego where six goals were on the board by halftime and the end result was a 9-0 romp over the Buccaneers. For the second time this fall, Joel Alvarez had a three-goal hat trick, with Jett Winans converting twice. Nick Courcy had a goal and assist and Jackson Tedesco two assists as Matt O’Reilly, Dainer Gonzalez and Niko Santoro also got goals. Cooper Alvarez, Joevany Alvarez, Ahmed Mujezenovic and Jaden Russell added assists. ESM then went to Central Square Thursday night, where in a clash of unbeaten teams there was a dramatic exchange down the stretch that ultimately settled the game 3-2 in the Spartans’ favor. Goals by Joel and Joevany Alvarez had ESM up 2-1 late in the second half, but Central Square, proving that its 3-0 start wasn’t a fluke, kept pushing and then, with a minute left in regulation, Demetrius Blake sent a free kick past Mike Godeski. It didn’t stay 2-2 for long, though. With 30 second left in regulation the Spartans attacked, forcing a throw-in near the Redhawks net. Tedesco sent it to the middle and Arnes Osmanovic flicked it to Winans, who slotted home the game-winner. When it played Fulton Saturday, it was the Spartans’ fifth game in nine days, but Joel Alvarez carried ESM past the Red Dragons 5-3, putting in four goals to run his early-season total to 12 and assisting on Winans’ tally. Fayetteville-Manlius continued a wild and active start by seeing a late lead against Baldwinsville last Tuesday night slip away in a 3-2 defeat to the Bees. Having surrendered a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw with Skaneateles on Sept. 7, the Hornets found itself again out in front after a strong first half thankst to early goals by Tom Helmer and Antoine Aombe, with Owen Pipes and Keshav Gangireddy earning assists. Yet that 2-1 lead did not hold, B’ville both tying it and then winning it late led by Tamer Abraham, who scored twice, and Michael Sacco, who got the other goal to overcome Jeremy Albert’s four saves. Rebounding on Friday, F-M beat Cicero-North Syracuse 4-1, building a 2-0 lead by halftime nad pulling further away helped by goals from Abdalla Eltifuri and Esref Canlli, with Tyler Hutz and Alassan Becker getting assists. Jamesville-DeWitt moved to 2-1 overall by prevailing 4-1 over PSLA-Fowler last Wednesday afternoon, needing Emile Antoine’s hat trick to help the Red Rams get clear. Only up 2-1 at the break, J-D turned to Antoine, who completed a three-goal hat trick, the other goal credited to Bekzod Abdusattorov as Aydin Ipek and Cameron Jackson both joined Antoine in the assist column. More goals followed on Thursday night, J-D outscoring Auburn 6-3 with a five-goal first half. Abdusattorov got two goals, with Antoine, Ipek and Sawyer McIntosh also finding the net. This high-flying Red Rams attack pulled away from Rome Free Academy 7-0 on Saturday as Abdusattarov notched a three-goal hat trick, Antoine adding two goals as Dan Kresge and Mustafa El-Zammar both finished with one goal and one assist. Christian Brothers Academy was also going in the wrong direction, winless through three games in the wake of a 3-2 defeat to Chittenango, a team it had dominated in recent years. Even with Zach Walma and Grady Shanly getting goals and Jaden Bowman-Henry adding an assist, the Brothers, tied 1-1 at halftime, saw the Bears get in front and stay there led by Gavin Karwoski, who scored twice and assisted on Solomon Mullin’s goal, and Logan Bronner, who stopped 18 of the 20 CBA shots he faced. Rocco Grotto had 10 saves. CBA did get its first win of the season on Thursday blanking Solvay 7-0. Ameen Waleed scored twice, with single goals earned by Shanly, Alex Allain, Tien Larrivey, Matthias Freeman and Levi Maidment as Walma got three assists and Jesse Beach two assists. A 4-0 win over Phoenix followed on Saturday afternoon, Maidment stepping up to earn two goals and one assist as Waleed had a goal and two assists and Xavier Kucera contributed a goal. Manlius Pebble Hill and its potent attack was shut down in last Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to Tully, who broke out in the second half with goals by Connor Bastedo and Julian Shay as, on the other end, Black Knights goalie Oscar Breitzka stopped all 12 of the Trojans’ shots he faced. Bishop Grimes dropped a tight 2-1 decision to Faith Heritage last Thursday afternoon. Cooper Boots’ goal helped forge a 1-1 halftime tie, but the Saints took the lead in the second half when Carter Henderson found the net a second time.