‘the
long Shadow of Katy’s Killer’ salina resident writes new
On the eve of the convicted killer’s ninth parole hearing, true-crime author William D. LaRue is again shining a spotlight on the 1986 murder of Clarkson University sophomore Katherine “Katy” Hawelka, of Syracuse.
LaRue is an award-winning journalist and former reporter for The Post-Standard and a retired online producer for newspaper websites owned by Advance Local. A native of Potsdam, he received a bachelor’s degree in English from State University College at Potsdam and a master’s degree in communications from Syracuse University. LaRue, a father of two, lives in the town of Salina his wife, Kathleen.
LaRue recently released latest book, “The Long Shadow of Katy’s Killer,” through Chestnut Heights Publishing.
This follow-up to his 2021 book, “A Stranger Killed Katy,” gives readers a front-row seat to startling new developments, including her murderer’s 2021 and 2023 parole hearings, where Brian Milton McCarthy clashes with com-
book on 1986 campus murder
Submitted photoS Salina resident william d larue is again shining a spotlight on the 1986 murder of Clarkson university sophomore Katherine “Katy” Hawelka, of Syracuse, with his latest book.
missioners who question the level of his remorse and challenge his claims that he struck Katy just one time during consensual sex. His 2023 hearing is his longest and most intense, after McCarthy fails in his demand for a postponement so he can find a way to remove copies of “A Stranger Killed Katy” that found their way into his parole file. At one point, he complains that LaRue
“wrote the book to try to make my crime look worse than it really is.” McCarthy quickly backtracks: “I don’t think you can. It was the most heinous crime, in my opinion.”
Submitted photo
“The Long Shadow of Katy’s Killer” is available in both paperback and eBook formats. LaRue’s first book about Katy Hawelka profiled
Author l Page 11
Race to promote Parkinson’s awareness
By KAtHErinE rAKowSKi
April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
Whether you know someone with Parkinson’s disease or not, if you want to get outside and help to make a difference in the lives of those fighting this disease, you can join the community for the 2nd annual Empowered 5K Run/Walk.
The event will be held on Saturday, April 26 at Long Branch Park in Liverpool at 3813 Long Branch Road.
Check in is at 9 a.m. with the race beginning at 10 a.m. Registration can be done the day of the event.
Last year, over 250 people participated, raising more than $12,000.
Hosted by Upstate Medical University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, proceeds benefit Empower Parkinson, Inc., which is Central New York’s only Parkinson’s Wellness Center, offering a wide range of services aimed at helping people with Parkinson’s Disease maintain their independence and function.
Empower began eight years ago when Patrick Van Beveren, a physical therapist at St. Camillus at the
time, realized that people with Parkinson’s disease needed more than just to learn an exercise program in rehab and then go home to do it on their own.
“They just don’t stick with something like that,” Van Beveren said. “They need something like a community exercise program to keep them going.”
He then set out on a mission to create something that would best help those affected by the disease.
Van Beveren trained in Rock Steady Boxing, a method of exercise specifically designed to impact and slow down the symptoms of Parkison’s.
Out of the boxing classes grew more classes and more teachers who offered yoga, Tai Chi, spin classes, and most recently, physical, occupational and speech therapy.
“Today, we’re a genuine wellness center for all areas of Parkinson’s Disease,” he said.
Empower just moved into a brand new building on West Taft Road in Liverpool.
The money raised at this year’s walk/run will help with some big ticket items like a new roof and new
flooring, both needed for the new location.
But the event is about more than raising money.
“It’s a great community event,” Van Beveren said. “We have families with three generations coming together to support their loved one with Parkinson’s. You’ll see all different skill levels with most people walking and then some runners or joggers. Lots of strollers with children in them. It’s just wonderful to see people coming together to support their family member or their friend and walk with them.”
Van Beveren hopes people know that there is so much that can be done for people who have received a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
“Parkinson’s is a neurological degenerative disease. It’s a full body deterioration. So these people are fighting tremendous odds,” he said. “Powerful intervention is exercise. It is possible to slow this disease down with exercise. There is a lot of hope.”
For more information about the services that Empower provides, or to sign up for the run/walk, visit empowerparkinson.org/
lHS to host Senior Citizen Community dance
The Liverpool High School Student Council recently announced the return of the Senior Citizen Community Dance on Friday, April 25, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Liverpool High School, 4338 Wetzel Road.
The event is open to community members 55 and older. Join the Student Council for a Wild West Country Dance, as well as a Western-themed movie in the high school auditorium. Tickets cost $6 per person and
can be purchased online through the HomeTown Ticketing Web site at tinyurl.com/mstsmvfj. Any questions? Call 315-4531500 ext. 4103 or e-mail jolden@ liverpool.k12.ny.us.
Saxophonist Frank Grosso brings his quartet to liverpool Public library at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 13, to conclude the library’s concert series dedicated to “Syracuse Songwriters.” Grosso’s group will perform music by local jazz composers.
Music by CNY jazz composers to be performed april 13 in liverpool
By ruSS tArBy Contributing Writer
When the Frank Grosso Quartet concludes the “Syracuse Songwriters” concert series on Sunday, April 13 at Liverpool Public Library, they’ll perform music by several Central New York jazz composers.
Among the tunes the quartet will play is one titled “Hidden Soul,” written by longtime Liverpool educator and saxophonist Joe Riposo.
The free concert is scheduled at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St., in the village of Liverpool; lpl.or g ; 315-457-0310.
The Grosso foursome includes Frank Grosso on tenor and baritone saxophones, bassist Dave Arenius, pianist Barry Blumenthal and drummer Tom Killian. They will perform compositions by Ithaca guitarist Steve Brown, Utica pianist Rick Montalbano and Liverpool saxophonist Joe Riposo among others.
The April 13 audience will also hear tunes such as “It Might Be You” by trombonist Bret Zvacek and “Song for My Mother” by saxophonist Walt Weiskopf.
Pianist Barry Blumenthal will be featured on his own composition, “Majestic Whisper.”
Bandleader Frank Grosso earned a music master’s degree at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.
He is a regular member of the Central New York Jazz Orchestra, Salt City Jazz Collective and the Micro Big Band.
He has played in the pit orchestras of numerous area theaters.
As a performer, Grosso has accompanied touring artists such as Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Dianne Schuur, The Spinners, The Temptations and Manhattan Transfer and many others.
He previously performed with the blues-rock band Little Georgie & The Shuffling Hungarians as well as the hard rock group, The Bogeymen.
The April 13 concert – a collaboration of Liverpool Public Library and the Liverpool Is The Place Concert Committee – is made possible thanks to generous support from the NY State Council on the Arts administered here by CNY Arts.
County legislators approve HELP Program
Onondaga County Legislators have approved a resolution that could directly benefit those looking for a job.
At their March session, the lawmakers unanimously voted to expand the current list of county positions that would fall under the state’s Hiring Emergency Limited Placement Program, or HELP Program.
It allows the county to hire employees on a probationary basis without the requirement of a civil service test.
After one year, those employees are considered permanent and do not have to take the civil service test to remain in the position.
“The HELP Program is pivotal to strengthening Onondaga County’s workforce” says Legislator Kevin Meaker, whose 2 nd District covers the western portion of the Town of Clay. “By streamlining the hiring process, it ensures we
can fill critical County government roles with qualified, permanent employees— keeping essential services running efficiently for our community.”
One week before the session, Onondaga County’s Commissioner of Personnel Carlton Hummel, spoke about HELP during the Ways & Means Committee.
He shared that since the program started a few years ago, the county has used it to appoint over 350 people to jobs in 150 different job titles.
The current expansion would bring the total number of eligible job titles to 250, or about 1/3 of all county job titles.
“It’s helping to bring people into county employment” he said.
The commissioner of the county’s Department of Social Services-Econom -
HElP l Page 4
• Do you have varicose veins or venous disease?
• Do you have pain or experience restless leg syndrome, aching, or swelling?
• Are you just embarrassed by the appearance of your legs? If you answered “YES” to any of these questions
County legislator Mark olson County legislator Kevin Meaker
JoEl MArSHAll
By JEFF Snow toWn of Clay hiStorian Clay hiStoriCal aSSoCiation member
Back in 1976, one of the Town of Clay’s previous historians was Rev. John Kisselburgh. He was asked by the regional director of transportation in Syracuse about historical sites in the Route 31 corridor. Kisselburgh mentioned three homes considered landmarks in the area that he would hope for their preservation. Only one remains today and that house is the Moyers Corners homestead. The other two homes that are now gone are the Eno home on Gaskin Road and the Joel Marshall homestead on Route 31.
The Joel Marshall homestead shown here (in pictures) dates back to before 1840. It’s presumed that Joel Marshall built the home. The home had ornate woodwork and the floorboards were said to be 18 inches wide. Finding trees and boards that wide is a rarity today, as trees take a long time to grow.
Joel Marshall was a Revolutionary War soldier who was from Tewksbury, MA. He was a private in Captain Jonathon Brown’s company who in turn marched to Lexington in Colonel Moses Little’s regiment.
Submitted photoS
Kris
Richard
Keitha
Geraldine A. Grady, 75 , of North Syracuse, passed away March 22, 2025. Fergerson Funeral Home, North Syracuse, has arrangements.
Nothing is known on how Marshall got to Central New York. Back in 1976 the home was owned by Bessie May Hamlin, pictured in the group of pictures attached.
Slightly less than 100 players will make that short walk from the practice green to the first tee at Augusta National for the start of the 89th renewal of the Masters.
Most of those players do so plenty nervous about the four days ahead, but relatively secure in their place in golf history
Her great-great-great grandfather was Joel Marshall (1759-1838,) followed by Nodiah Marshall, Joel M Marshall and then her mother Nettie Marshall Hamlin. Bessie was a school teacher in Syracuse. She passed away at the age of 90 in 1981. All her relatives prior to her were farmers. Everyone mentioned is interred at the local cemetery – Pine Plains. The top right and bottom left
either as a past champion, major winner, up-and-comer or amateur just happy to be in the field.
One will have an entirely different mindset, unique to himself and perhaps unique to this particular time and place.
You may have heard of Rory McIlroy. Supremely talented, young and fresh, he emerged
pictures were taken in the mid 1970s. In the bottom picture, the house had a very close proximity to Route 31. Most likely, when it was built, the road was very narrow. The upper left picture shows the last years of the house before demolition back in 2002. With the old home gone, seven lanes occupied where the home used to stand. Now it’s where a Chilis restaurant operates; that spot originally was hoped to be preserved 50 years ago.
15 years ago from Northern Ireland and, within four years, had secured four major titles and a place as the biggest name in golf’s orbit outside of a certain Tiger fellow.
At the same time, though, Augusta did not yield to Rory’s potential greatness. When he was in position to win in 2011, he fell
For more information, suggestions, or article requests, please visit the Clay Historical Association’s Google page. Any questions can be directed to historian@townofclay.org. The Clay Historical Association meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Clay Historical Park. Those interested in attending, inviting others to join, or sharing any historical photographs are encouraged to reach out.
Random Thoughts
Phil Blackwell
apart to a final-round 80, and to this day the place has not made up for that original sin.
The Masters remains the only major McIlroy has not won. Claiming it would allow him to join the most exclusive club of
Masters l Page 10
Paticia A. Thomas, 77 , of Skaneateles passed away March 28, 2025. The Bush Funeral Home of Elbridge has charge of arrangements.
William J. Ostrye, 53 , formerly of Elbridge passed away March 16, 2025. The Bush Funeral Home of Elbridge had charge of arrangements.
Gina M. Le Beau, 72 , of Brewerton, passed away April 1, 2025. Fergerson Funeral Home, North Syracuse, has arrangements.
Barbara J. Peschka, 96 , of Cicero, passed away April 1, 2025. Fergerson Funeral Home, North Syracuse, has arrangements.
❧ ESTATE AUCTION
Saturday April 12th @ 9:30 am
Selling an estate @ 7828 Plainville Rd. Plainville, NY 13137
At the North end of the former Plainville Turkey Farm Plant
John Deere 950 Diesel 4WD w JP-75 Loader w fork,3pt hitch & PTO. Rear turf tires w chains, clean. Int Cub gas tractor WFE w/side flail mower & snow blade, Frank H Clement Co # 2 .5 Bed, 20” wood planer made in Rochester NY, 18 ½ hp riding mower w/42” cut, push mowers, chest on chest roll around tool box & others, 2 cement saws, chain saws, salamander heater, portable air compressor, shop vac, portable sand blaster, hyd. Floor jack, hoes, roll around, power & cordless tolls, saws, drum & belt sanders, wrenches, sockets, all kinds of hand tools, ext. chords, reference gauges & tools, large quan. of chicken feeders, barn fans, plastic drums, chicken & turkey waterers & feeders, barn carts, early freezer units, SS roll around cabinets, roll around vegetable cart stand,Club Car, Carry All, 1700 sl. 4-pass, 4wd, UTV, Full Cab & much more.
Auctioneer Note: Go to Auctionzip.com, auctioneer #4840 for pictures!
This is a partial listing. Sale inside. Food Available. Absolutely no buyer’s premium. Terms: cash, good NYS check, Discover, Visa, MC payment due by end of the auction
Dean D Cummins Auctioneer & Sales Manager
Office: 315-626-2248 Cell: 315-246-5407
Garage Sale Season is HERE and the Eagle Pennysaver has got you covered.
upstate’s Mammography Van clinics set for April
April 14 at the LaFayette Town Hall
April 28 at the Liverpool First United Methodist Church
cancer screenings easier and more accessible for women. For the month of April, the Mammo Van will hold clinics in the following places in the Syracuse area: April 9 at the Canton Woods Senior Center in Baldwinsville
To schedule an appointment for a mammogram with the van, women should call 315-464-2588. Appointments can also be requested online at upstate.edu/noexcuse s Appointments are recommended for women who want to get a mammogram, to ensure that they will be seen that day.
To be eligible for a mammogram on the van, women should be 40 years and older; not have had a mammogram in the past 12 months; and not be experiencing breast problems.
The mammography van is equipped with a state-of-the art 3D digital mammogram system, private exam room, dressing rooms and a waiting room.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women, effect-
ing one in eight women. It’s also one of the most treatable cancers when detected early.
Mammograms—x-rays of the breasts—are the most effective screening procedure for the early signs of breast cancer
In the past five years, the van has traveled over 47,000 miles to bring mammograms to women in counties throughout Central New York.
David’s Refuge event returns for fourth year
David’s Refuge has announced the 4th Annual International Taste Fest 5K & 10K running event, taking place on Saturday, April 12 at the NYS Fairgrounds. This event aims to bring wellness, respite, and community to caregivers, and we invite everyone to join us for a day filled with fun, fitness, and fantastic food. Participants can kick off the day with a run in the morning, followed by an afternoon and evening of delicious food and drinks at the International Taste Festival. All race participants will receive a FREE admission ticket to enter the festival, making it a perfect opportunity to enjoy the vibrant culinary offerings. Both the 5K and 10K races will start and finish at the Center of Progress at the NYS Fairgrounds, featuring a scenic route that includes a portion of the run inside the Fairgrounds as well as
if you go saturday, april 12 NYs Fairgrounds, syracuse race start/finish: 5k starts at 10:15 a m 10k starts at 10 a m awards ceremony: noon inside the International Taste Festival
on the beautiful Empire Trail. An awards ceremony will take place inside the International Taste Festival at noon, where participants will be recognized with award certificates and prizes for their achievements.
For more information and to register for the race, please visit // p2p.onecause.com/tastefest25
David’s Refuge provides respite and support for caregivers of children with special needs. Our mission is to offer wellness, community, and hope to those who give so much to their families.
Send your events to adearborn@eaglenewsonline.com.
Notices must have the date, time and location of the event. Deadline for submissions is 12 p.m. Friday. No calendar item can be guaranteed for placement in the papers, nor run for multiple weeks, unless it is a paid announcement. All free placement is on a space-available basis. Event information may be subject to change, so be sure to contact the event organizer to confirm the details.
APRIL 1-30
Postcards from Famous Authors Auction
Celebrate 30 years of the Central Library Lecture Series by bidding on personalized postcards from a selection of 29 authors, including David Sedaris, Elin
Mark Broadie, a professor at Columbia Business School, took data from ShotLink that captured data points on all shots taken during PGA Tour events. ShotLink measured the distance from the hole, as well as categorizing shot types such as tee, fairway, rough, sand, and green. is data allowed PGA Tour players to see speci cally where they excelled and where they needed to improve. Mr. Broadie submitted his formula and data to the PGA Tour. e PGA Tour’s de nition of Strokes Gained is…” e per round average of the number of strokes was better or worse than the eld average on the same course and event”.
In 2011, the PGA Tour introduced a statistical category they called “Strokes Gained”. It was a process for measuring a players performance that was better than the rest of the eld in tournaments because it analyzed and documented the individual stats of the players. In 2016, the Tour added a few more stats that completed their “Strokes Gained” category…
1. Strokes Gained: “O e Tee” measures a players performance o the tee on all par-4’s and par-5’s.
2. Strokes Gained: “Approach To e Green” measures performance on approach shots, including tee shots on par-3’s, 4’s and 5’s.
3. Strokes Gained: “Around e Green” measures performance on any shot within 30 yards of the edge of the green, but not on the green.
4. Strokes Gained: “Putting” measures how many strokes a player gains (or loose) On the Greens Putting.
5. Strokes Gained: “Tee To Green” = O e Tee + Approach To e Green + Around e Green.
6. Strokes Gained: “Total” = O e Tee + Approach To e Green + Around e Green + On e Greens.
Although the total aggregate of the “Strokes Gained” categories are absolutely the best measurement of a players “overall” performance in a tournament, it does
Hilderbrand, and more. All funds support the Central Library of the Onondaga County Public Library. www. fundraiser.support/FOCL.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
Finding the Halleujahs in Your Caregiving Journey
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Jewish Community Center of Syracuse.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12
All You Can Eat Belgian Waffle Breakfast
8 a.m.-11 a.m. Lamson Grange #588, 9108 Fenner Rd., Baldwinsville. Menu: waffles, peach topping, warm syrup, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, and beverages. Adults: $12. Ages 6-12: $6. Ages 5 and under: free.
not guarantee the player who has the most points for “Strokes Gained” will win the tournament. It does however measure a players performance against the eld and when the “Strokes Gained” are calculated at the end of a tournament, it will determine how much money the player will deposit in their bank account. Usually, that means they will either win the tournament or certainly be in the Top 5.
e PGA Tour schedule is already into its 3rd month and it is safe to say that all of the players have been focusing on their conditioning, practicing, playing and goals, to be at their peek… “RIGHT NOW”…just in time for THE MASTERS.
From Hawaii, the West Coast Swing, the Florida and Texas tour events, the players are well aware that their “Strokes Gained” position at the end of tournaments will determine how much money they deposit in their bank account.
If you doubt the validity and concept of “Total Strokes Gained”, consider the following players who have won the… PGA Tour “Strokes Gained: Total” Leaders By Year since 2018 and their average points per tournaments.
2024 - Scottie Sche er…2.496
2023 - Scottie Sche er…2.314
2022 - Rory McIiroy…2.115
2021 - Jon Rahm…2.098
2020 - Jon Rahm…1.823
2019 - Rory McIIroy…2.551
2018 - Dustin Johnson…2.372
Should amateur golfers, both men and women, be aware of their “Strokes Gained” stats during the golf season? I say yes! It is a common sense approach to nd out what the faults are in your golf game.
TACNY Junior Café Scientifique
9:30 a.m. The MOST, Downtown Syracuse. Continental breakfast at 9:15 a.m. “Climate Change: a Focus on Carbon Footprints”. Following the program, attendees are welcome to explore the museum. Free. Ham and Scalloped Potatoes Dinner 4 p.m.-6 p.m. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 210 Hazel St., Liverpool. Eat in or take out. Menu: Ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans, and dessert. $12.
APRIL 12 & 13
CNY Folksmarch
Oxbow Falls, Canastota. Registration 9 a.m. to Noon on April 12 and 1 to 3 p.m. on April 13. $4 for adults, $1 for kids ages 5 to 18. Active military and veterans walk for half-price. First timers walk free. For more information visit https://folksmarch.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/folksmarch
SUNDAY, APRIL 13
Easter Egg Hunt and Lunch with the Easter Bunny
12 p.m.-3 p.m. Brewerton United Methodist Church, 5395 Orangeport Rd. Hunt for eggs, have lunch, and enjoy photo opps. At will donation.
MONDAY, APRIL 14
Art Exhibit and Reception
7 p.m. Salina Library, Mattydale. Meet photographer Valerie McLean and view 20 years worth of her work, mostly landscapes.
MONDAY, APRIL 21
Prepare to Care: Supports and Services Caregivers and Seniors Should Know About 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Jewish Community Center of Syracuse.
l From page 5
all, the Career Grand Slam quintet where Tiger resides in perpetuity with Sarazen, Hogan, Player and Nicklaus.
Game-wise, Rory always had most of the tools on hand. Distance off the tee, the ability to hit high and soft irons, a tremendous gift when chipping and out of bunkers, and a good putter most of the time.
Which can only mean the inability to solve Augusta for 72 holes springs from a mental place, one where a bad thought, whenever it creeps in, never is cast aside and leaves McIlroy forlorn by Sunday and the time the green coat gets handed out.
All of those things remain in place going into 2025. What separates Rory now from everyone else on hand is the quality of his play going into Georgia and the relative dearth of challenging narratives.
Wins at high-profile settings like Pebble Beach and TPC Sawgrass (a second Players Championship title) show that McIlroy is in something close to prime form which makes at least a top 10 close to automatic.
TUESDAY, APRIL 22
NOAA’s Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary 6 p.m. Virtual. Meeting will include member introductions, orientation, project presentations, and outlook for the coming months. www.meet.google. com/nkf-eequ-wfx.
APRIL 25 & 26
Rummage Sale Friday: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Lamson Grange #588, 9108 Fenner Rd., Baldwinsville. Shop from gently used items and clothes. Saturday will be a bag sale.
SATURDAY, APRIL 26
History of Lake Neatakwanta
1 p.m.-3 p.m. Clay Historical Park, 4939 NY 31. Residents and authors Tim Carroll and Jim Farfaglia will present about their new book, which covers Neatakwanta’s history and its future. Free.
SUNDAY, APRIL 27
Responding to Dementia Related Behaviors
2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Jewish Community Center of Syracuse.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
Red Cross Blood Drive 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, 435 S. Main St., North Syracuse. Tshirts while supplies last and a chance to win $5000 prize. www. redcrossblood.org.
two Masters victories as a cushion. And the PGA-LIV battle has worn out all of its participants plus a public sick of rich people battling richer people for spoils.
In many ways, the golf world, or at least its most visible personalities, is silently rooting for McIlroy to get past the demons which have sometimes emerged early in past majors and get himself into the picture for the weekend.
No other storyline has the possibility of escaping the golf sphere. It has elements of perseverance, patience and redemption, all from a player largely popular with the golf public and with his peers in the locker room.
Also, getting that Masters win would shut up the hecklers. Days before McIlroy won at Sawgrass, he was completing a practice round when he pulled a drive at 18 into the lake. A golfer from the University of Texas watched this and loudly mentioned to Rory what happened at Augusta in 2011. He had his phone taken away and had to apologize.
Maturity gained from a decade’s worth of near-misses at majors, the most painful last June’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst where two missed short putts cost him the title, has shown up in his public demeanor. He seems more at peace with himself now that he isn’t spending as much time trying to litigate the ongoing PGA Tour-LIV dispute.
Then there’s what else is going on. No Tiger due to an Achilles tear, meaning all the attention usually put on him has to go somewhere. Scottie Scheffler, the world no. 1, is in a rare down period but still has
Only victory, only the moment where on that 72nd green he receives the rapturous roar Phil Mickelson got when he had his 2004 major breakthrough or what Tiger got in his 2019 victory, will quiet those jerks forever. Whoever does exit Magnolia Lane wearing a green jacket will carry this memory for a lifetime. But only Rory McIlroy can do so with the utter relief associated with shedding so many ghosts, all at the same time.
Phil Blackwell is sports editor at Eagle News. He can be reached at pblackwell@ eaglenewsonline.com.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Liverpool boys tennis team gets shutout of Auburn
By PHil BlACKwEll
A brief warm-up in temperatures meant that the Liverpool boys tennis team would have an opportunity to head out and play its first match of the 2025 season. And the Warriors enjoyed it, getting a 7-0 victory over Auburn last Thursday
afternoon while not dropping a set in any of the seven matches on the card.
Justin Barrett began his junior campaign shutting out Evan Steinbacher 6-0, 6-0. Aydan Presley went through a second-set tiebreak but topped Kevin Lui 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) as Patrick Clancy won 6-1, 6-4 over Jonathan Salvage.
Pushed early in second doubles, John
Liverpool lacrosse starts 2-0; C-NS still undefeated
By PHil BlACKwEll
Led by a superb defense anchored by goalie Owen Salanger, the Liverpool boys lacrosse team dethroned two-time state champion Baldwinsville to win the 2024 Section III Class A title.
Repeating that title was a quest the Warriors began last week with two games against foes from outside the section, starting Wednesday with a 12-8 victory over Section IV’s Vestal.
Though Salanger and several other top seniors graduated, plenty of talent remains, and Liverpool wasted little time gaining control against Vestal, sprinting to a 5-1 lead through one period.
For the rest of the game the Warriors answered every Golden Bears run, the offense led by junior Brendan Caraher, who converted four goals, and Brady Michaud, who scored three times.
Chris Mattot and Aidan Tornabene both netted two goals, Mattot adding an assist. Danny Dunn got a goal and two assists and Jake Berthoff also got two assists as Andrew Gabor, tasked with replacing Salanger in goal, recorded 10 saves.
Back in action Saturday against Section II’s Saratoga Springs at Herkimer Community College, Liverpool endured wet, cold conditions and, with Michaud carrying the attack, defeated the Blue Streaks 11-4.
Whatever Saratoga tried from a defen-
C-NS,
sive perspective did not work against Michaud, who poured in six goals, two more than the opposition, and added three assists.
And the Blue Streaks couldn’t concentrate on Michaud because Mattot was putting up three goals and two assists, while Dunn scored twice and added an assist. Gabor paired with Trevor Smith in goal and they made 10 saves between them.
Cicero-North Syracuse sought a 2-0 start in last Thursday’s game against General Brown, and thanks to a consistent and productive attack it pulled away from the Lions, prevailing 21-9.
Three different Northstars had hat tricks, with Quinn Empey getting six goals as Adrian Sweeney scored five times to go with two assists and Karsen Pritchard added four goals.
Just behind them, Donovan Chaney earned two goals and two assists. Emmit Porter and Blake Fefee both finished with a goal and three assists as Joe Malecki, Jacob Malecki and Jack Putman earned single goals.
Then, facing Indian River on Saturday afternoon, C-NS made it three in a row, handling the Wolves 12-3 in advance of a single game this week against East Syracuse Minoa before facing Liverpool on April 15. The Warriors would go to CBA Tuesday before hosting Section II’s Bethlehem on Saturday afternoon.
Liverpool flag football engage in close games
By PHil BlACKwEll
For their second season of varsity competition the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool flag football teams both found themselves in tight and hard-fought contests with a wide variety of results.
Going first on March 28, the Northstars edged Section II’s Bethlehem 7-6, getting its lone score on its first drive of the game.
Amanda Timmons ran 18 yards for a touchdown, and Olivia Cook hit Hailey Dupra for the conversion, the point which ultimately made the difference in the outcome. Bethlehem closed the margin to one, but C-NS’s defense shut out the Eagles otherwise.
As a follow-up last Tuesday night, the Northstars faced Syracuse East, but suffered its first defeat of the season by a 1913 margin.
This happened as Liverpool had a highprofile opener against defending sectional champion Baldwinsville, immediately adding some spice to the rivalry by rallying from a big deficit to forge a 14-14 tie.
the 19-year-old and recounted the events of Aug. 29, 1986, when she was beaten, strangled and sexually assaulted outside an ice hockey arena on the Clarkson campus in Potsdam, N.Y. McCarthy, a repeat offender out on parole at the time, pleaded
Award was established to honor Lori Bresnahan, who passed away in March 2013. The award is presented during a special ceremony featuring LCSD celebri -
B’ville went up 14-0 on scores from Gabby Awwad and Capri Hartman in the first half and nearly made it more just before intermission before a critical defensive stop kept the Warriors within range.
Then Gracie Sleeth and A’briyah Cunninmgham, fresh off leading Liverpool’s girls basketball team to its second straight state Class AAA championship game, connected on a 60-yard TD strike early in the second half.
Sleeth found Cunningham again minutes later, pulling the Warriors even, but the Bees were able to regroup on defense and get the stops it needed to keep the game tied.
C-NS sat through the week, watched this activity and then returned to the field last Friday night, playing strong defense against Syracuse West on the way to a 19-0 shutout to move to 2-1 overall.
The Northstars play just once this week, against varsity newcomer Central Square, while Liverpool is tested by Syracuse East on Tuesday and Syracuse West two nights later.
guilty to second-degree murder committed during an attempted rape, and he was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison. His first chance at parole came in 2009; he has been denied eight times since then. McCarthy’s next parole hearing is scheduled for April 2025.
Early chapters of “The Long Shadow of Katy’s Killer” lay the groundwork for un-
ties reading the nominated books.
One of Bresnahan’s great passions was sharing books with children, and the district’s library media specialists decided that there was no better way to keep her love of literature alive than by creating a book award in her honor.
Ioannidis and Dan Haynes still beat
Chase Abdelaziz and Owen Mahunik
7-6 (7-4), 6-4, while in first doubles
Kasey Maher and Joe Ciotti topped Colby Wagner and John White 6-3, 6-2.
Greyson Valente and Raury Bien -
kowski got a 6-2, 6-4 decision over Noah
Mahunik and Ethan Jensen, with Dan Wadie and Finnegan O’Toole roaring
past Carter and Brayden Wilson 6-1, 6-1.
Now Liverpool will rest and practice until matches during the school break against Baldwinsville and Central Square, while Cicero-North Syracuse has three matches scheduled this week, including one with Auburn after facing Jamesville-DeWitt and Fulton.
C-NS softball opens, outscores Camden
By PHil BlACKwEll
With all the snow melted away the CiceroNorth Syracuse softball team got to work late in March in its quest to unseat archrival Liverpool as the area’s top large-school program.
Weather permitting, the Northstars and Warriors are set to meet this Thursday before C-NS heads down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a week of games during the spring break.
Two games were scheduled for late last week, and while rain kept the Northstars from facing Fayetteville-Manlius it did travel last Friday to Camden to face the reigning sectional Class A champion Blue Devils.
Right away, C-NS unveiled a powerful lineup that produced two big early-game rallies, giving the visitors plenty of room to withstand a late Camden charge and prevail by a score of
19-12.
Down 1-0 going to the top of the second inning, the Northstars batted around and produced eight runs. Then it did so again in the third inning scoring six times after the Blue Devils got three runs in the bottom of the second.
Sydney Rockwell and Aubrey Coyle both hit home runs, combining for five RBIs as Coyle added a triple. Erica Hibbard went fourfor-five with a double and a team-best five RBIs, with Mia Farone getting a triple and three Rbis. Mila Owens drove in a pair of runs and single RBIs went to Marisa Leone and Payton Bach.
Camden’s potent lineup would produce 12 hits against C-NS pitchers Kiyara Bembry and Lillian Hotaling, with Bembry going five innings overall as she and Hotaling recorded seven strikeouts.
C-NS girls lacrosse topples Fairport again
By PHil BlACKwEll
In order to end its 28-year wait for a state championship the Cicero-North Syracuse girls lacrsosse team had to get past Fairport in last June’s title game at SUNY-Cortland.
Now they were meeting again, this time in a regular-season clash last Friday night, and once more the Northstars were triumphant, the 13-8 margin nearly identical to the 12-8 margin of that state final.
Sound on defense all night, C-NS never let Fairport get comfortable, with Jilly Howell stopping more than half the shots thrown her way as she finished with nine saves.
On the other end Gabby Putman earned 12 draw controls as she and Sophia Nesci both scored four times. Elizabeth Smith netted three goals, with Isabella Gates converting twice. Nesci had two assists, with Putman and Adelyn Nesce earning single assists.
As this went on, Liverpool set out on its
2025 season, hosting Christian Brothers Academy last Friday night and taking a 10-7 defeat to the Brothers. CBA was already 3-0, and added to that total led by its top scoring line. Maeve Mackenzie netted five goals, half her team’s output, the other half split between Madison Ceclia’s three goals and Lilah Kirch’s pair of goals. Liverpool also had just three goal-scorers, but only Maura Woods earned the hat trick. Maura Beckwith and Maya Michaud each scored twice, with Bella Ames and Lilia Hertwick getting assists. Ava Eicholzer stopped 14 of the 24 direct shots she faced.
Back in action on Monday, the Warriors would face Clinton before going to Indian River on Wednesday night and hosting Westhill on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, C-NS sets out this weekend on a trip to Massachusetts where it will take on two local opponents, Notre Dame Academy and Wellesley.
C-NS, Liverpool baseball open with wins
By PHil BlACKwEll
Having fallen one victory short of a Section III Class AAA title last spring, the CiceroNorth Syracuse baseball team returned for 2025 bent on getting all the way to the top.
A strong core of players returns for the Northstars, and they wasted little time standing out as in last Thursday’s season opener at the Gillette Road Complex where C-NS defeated Syracuse City 10-2.
Landon Cook got the start on the mound and, after giving up single runs in the first two innings, blanked Syracuse the rest of his fiveinning stint before Kaden Kalfass and Jeremy Palmer worked the last two innings in relief.
A four-run third inning erased the Northstars’ 2-0 deficit, and it added two runs in the fifth and four in the sixth led by Palmer and Jaden Zimmer, who had three hits apiece.
Shacory Williams’ pair of singles led to three RBIs, with Palmer, Lucas Aiello and Chris Williams also driving in runs. Zimmer scored three times and Ben Watkins scored
derstanding McCarthy’s latest parole hearings, examining newly uncovered—and often flawed—psychological evaluations and risk assessments that he has relied upon to argue for his release. The book also devotes chapters to the emotional battle waged by Katy’s family, who present impact statements before every parole hearing to argue he should remain behind bars.
“Penguin and Pinecone, ” by Salina Yoon, was the inaugural winner in 2014.
“The Book with No Pictures, ” by B.J. Novak, was selected the winner in 2016.
“Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh, ” written by Sally M. Walker and illustrated
twice. Liverpool had its opener against visiting Auburn a day later, and it proved a tight one, requiring eight innings for the Warriors to gain a 4-3 victory over the Maroons.
Twice, Liverpool had to come back in the late stages. Auburn led 2-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, but the Warriors tied it when it loaded the bases and Nico Leone coaxed a walk which scored Sam Benzinger. When the Maroons countered in the top of the eighth with a tiebreaking run to go up 3-2, Liverpool immediately retaliated, with James Kelly getting a walk and Dylan Wiggins crushing a double that brought Kelly home. Ryan Spaganola, pinch-running for Wiggins, stole third base. Then Maroons pitcher Jacob Morrell threw wild and Spagnola dashed to the plate to win it.
Zach Zingaro got the win on the mound, pitching four innings of relief after Wiggins started. Zingaro struck out six as three Auburn pitchers held the Warriors to five hits, two of them by Cayden Nappa.
The publication of “A Stranger Killed Katy” in 2021 brought renewed national attention to Katy’s murder, drawing coverage in a two-part episode of the popular “Morbid” true-crime podcast that streamed in 2022. The book and the national podcast has helped to inspire more than 60,000 people to sign the family’s online petition opposing McCarthy’s release.
by Jonathan D. Voss, was the winner in 2018, while the 2020 winner was “Can I Be Your Dog?,” written and illustrated by Troy Cummings. The 2023 winner was “How to Apologize,” written by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka.
