CENTRAL NEW YORK – Needless to say, what the East Syracuse Minoa boys soccer team has done early in the 2024 season has garnered attention well beyond Central New York. The Spartans found itself parked at no. 4 in the first state Class AA rankings of the season, and proceeded to add to that win total with two more lopsided efforts last week. First, ESM handled PSLA-Fowler 6-1 last Tuesday night, controlling possession from the outset and eventually getting away after grabbing a 2-0 halftime advantage. More balance and depth was on display here, with Joel Alvarez’s pair of goals augmented by single tallies from Joevany Alvarez, Jackson Tedesco, Matt O’Reilly and Brett Hockey. Ames Osmanovic joined Tedesco in the assist column. Auburn fell two nights later, ESM handling them 3-0 with another showcase for Joel Alvarez. Not content with a first-half goal, Alvarez converted two more times in the second half to earn his fourth hat trick in seven games. All told, Alvarez has 17 goals, nearly matching the 18 he put up in the full 2022 season as a sophomore. Jett Winans and Jaden Russell each picked up assists and the Spartans can look ahead to a week where it meets Jamesville-DeWitt Thursday and then plays in the “Kara Day” game Saturday against Fulton at 10 a.m. before the girls take on J-D. For its part, J-D entered the week having won four in a row, but now faced the same Central Square side ESM needed a last-second goal from Winans to beat on Sept. 12. Trailing at halftime thanks to a goal by the Redhawks Demetrius Blake, the Red Rams roared back in the final 40 minutes, tying it and then prevailing 2-1 when Emile Antoine and Jisan Lamichhane found the net. Griffin Bourcy’s six saves equaled that of Central Square counterpart Andrew Watrous. A more routine 3-1 win over Fulton followed on Thursday night, J-D going in front 2-0 by halftime and not letting the Red Dragons catch up as Bezkod Abdusattorov had a goal and assist, the other goals going to Lamichhane and Moujahid Cherif as Amar Lopez contributed an assist. J-D will have its own big charity event on Oct. 5 when it hosts Fulton for a JV/Varsity doubleheader. It’s the Sally A. Lock Coaches vs. Cancer game, with all proceeds from the event going to the American Cancer Society. Struggles continued for Christian Brothers Academy as Sknaeateles shut out the Brothers 4-0 last Tuesday night at Alibrandi Stadium. Helped by Rocco Grotto’s eight saves, CBA kept it close for a while, but a 1-0 halftime lead grew as Skaneateles leaned on Ian Thompson, its top scorer, who added two goals to run his season total to 11 as Cody Crane and Heschel Eidel also converted. At least the Brothers were able to turn it around Saturday against a struggling Cicero-North Syracuse side, prevailing 2-1 in overtime over the Northstars. That OT tally helped ease the concerns for CBA after Dante Melfi scored in the second half for C-NS to erase an early 1-0 advantage. Grotto stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced as Alex Allain and Amari Laub earned the goals, assists credited to Zach Walma and Grady Shanly.