Through a split of last week’s games, the Jordan-Elbridge girls lacrosse team started to get an up-close look at the top Class C contenders – and found that it wasn’t that far away. On a wintry Thursday afternoon, the Eagles confronted state Class C no. 3-ranked Christian Brothers Academy at Alibrandi Stadium and put up a good battle in a 16-9 loss to the Brothers. In fact, late in the first half it was tied, 3-3, thanks to goals by Ella Thorpe, Kelsey Youmell and Carrie-Jo Farrugia. But CBA finished the first half on a 6-0 run, all done within 10 minutes, and expanded the lead to 12-3 before J-E made a late push. Thorpe finished with four goals, matching CBA teammates Marisa Romeo and Sophie Racciatti for top individual honors. Youmell added a three-goal hat trick as Amanda Wheeler posted one goal and one assist. Goalie Kelsey Richardson, bound for Syracuse next year (and watched on this day by SU head coach Gary Gait), made 10 saves. Before all this, J-E did an effective job on the defensive side in last Tuesday’s 10-3 victory over Bishop Ludden. Through a low-scoring first half, the Eagles held the Gaelic Knights to a single goal, which gave the attack enough time to launch a late push that made the game a bit more lopsided. Youmell led J-E with four goals, more than the entire Ludden squad. Thorpe, with a goal and three assists, and Wheeler, with a goal and two assists, offered the support as Emily Bates and Chelsea Maitland each scored twice. In defeat, Ludden goalie Meg Farrell recorded 10 saves, the same as Richardson. Kat O’Hara had two of the Gaelic Knights’ three goals, with Erannan Shattuck earning the other. On the boys end, Jordan-Elbridge rallied at Onondaga and forced overtime, but still took a 15-14 loss to the Tigers. From the time OCS opened on a 6-2 run, J-E was trying to catch up. By going on its own 6-3 push through the third period, the Eagles did tie it, 12-12, and played on even terms through a tense final period. Going into overtime, J-E nearly won it, only to see Tigers goalie Peter Taaffe make a point-blank stop. Moments later, Mark Mayer, off a feed from Anthony Heer, beat Noland Michaels for the game-winner. Gale Thorpe still had six goals on J-E’s side, with Mo Town scoring four times. Tyler Richardson managed three goals and two assists, with Derrick Cheney earning the other goal. Zach Stevenson earned two assists. Colin Sorber (five goals) and Gary Bova (two goals, four assists) led OCS’s push. On Thursday, J-E hosted Tully. Again, it was close, again the Eagles had a chance – and again it lost by a single goal, this time 12-11 in regulation. Unlike the OCS game, though, J-E led most of the way, going up 4-2 after one period and nursing that slim margin over the game’s middle stages. The Black Knights caught up, 9-9, by the end of the third quarter and outscored the Eagles 2-1 in that final frame. Here, Gale Thorpe led both sides with five goals and one assist as his brother, Matt Thorpe, also had a goal. Town scored twice, adding an assist, with Stevenson managing a goal and two assists. Richardson and Aurie Schwarting both had one goal and one assist.