Simply by relying on its lethal attack, the Liverpool ice hockey team emerged with the championship of last weekend’s Raider Classic in Fulton. Matt Wilson stood out in last Friday’s opening round, where the defending Division I champion Warriors routed Batavia Notre Dame 10-2. Liverpool built an 8-0 lead through two periods, and Wilson had a part in most of those scoring plays as he backed up a three-goal hat trick with four assists. Josh LaRose also found the net three times for his own hat trick, while Justin Rowley had two goals. Tim Ross and Stacy Kosecki also scored. Dan Cibelli finished with three assists as Joe Wilson and Eric Filapello each got two assists. Rob Griffin and Mike Conese had single assists. In Saturday’s final, the Warriors met the hosts from Fulton, and it proved to be much more harrowing — but with Cibelli enjoying his own career performance, Liverpool still topped the Red Raiders 7-5. At first, Fulton appeared ready to run Liverpool off, racing to a 3-0 edge through one period.
Soon enough, though, the Warriors began to click, tying it 4-4 by the end of the second period, then pulling ahead in the late stages. Cibelli kept getting in front of the net and putting the puck home, as he poured in five goals to go with one assist. Usually, it was Rowley (three assists), Conese or Joe Wilson (two assists each) feeding Cibelli, as Rowley and Wilson got the other goals. Jim Zemotel played in the net and, after a very shaky start, earned 24 saves. Liverpool meets up with rival Baldwinsville Wednesday night in a rare opportunity to play at the Syracuse War Memorial, starting at 7:15.