Make a Mother’s Day Diaper Drive underway
By KATHrynE rAKOWSKI
The month of May is a time when we focus on mothers; showering them with love and attention.
The CNY Diaper Bank is using this month to focus on supporting mothers in need during their 10th Annual Make a Mother’s Day Diaper Drive which runs through the month.
The diaper drive encourages businesses to host their own diaper drive, offers people the opportunity to make a donation in honor of a mom, and, most importantly, raises awareness of the diaper need in the area.
Diapers are an essential need for babies and toddlers, but keeping up with the supply needed is an enormous struggle for families living in poverty.
About 41% of children under 5 in the city of Syracuse live in poverty; a heart wrenching statistic for CNY Diaper Bank Founder Michela Hugo.
“As a mom, you just want what is best for your baby,” Hugo said. “My heart breaks knowing there are moms like me out there who want to do
all they can for their babies, but can’t. I could not imagine being in a situation where I couldn’t meet my baby’s basic needs.”
The CNY Diaper Bank is the largest diaper bank in New York State, working with 50 partner agencies each month to distribute an average of approximately 179,000 diapers to nearly 4,000 local babies and toddlers.
Even though diapers are an essential need, they are not covered by programs like SNAP or WIC. Low income families have a hard time covering the expense of diapers with all the other needs they have to meet.
“Diapers are so expensive,” Hugo said. “Low income families just cannot afford to buy in bulk. They can only afford smaller packages. Babies go through six to 10 diapers a day. This is why so many low income families struggle.”
There are many ways for community members, groups, and businesses to get involved. Supporters can make a donation securely on their website, cnydiaperbank.
or g. Funds are used to purchase diapers in bulk at a fraction of the retail price to ensure the nonprofit can continue to provide diapers to local families in need who are experiencing financial hardship.
All funds raised in the month of May will be matched up to $10,000 thanks to a grant awarded by the John Ben Snow Foundation and Memorial Trust.
“The match campaign is a great motivator to get people to donate because you can make twice the impact,” Hugo said.
Businesses can host an employer match program or coordinate a diaper drive.
There is also the opportunity to donate diapers or supplies to one of the diaper bank’s designated collection points, a list of which is available on their website. Supporting the diaper bank in any of these ways will make a lasting impact.
“Diapers are a basic need that no baby should ever have to go without, but unfortunately, diaper need is all too common in our community,” Hugo
said. “Last year alone, we distributed more than 2 million diapers, providing over $859,000 worth of essential support to local families in need. These diapers provide comfort to babies, peace of mind to mothers and reduced stress on families.”
The Central New York Diaper Bank is a nonprofit that was created in 2016 to help social service organizations in the Syracuse area distribute diapers to families in need. It is a part of the National Diaper Bank Networ k.
The CNY Diaper Bank’s mission is to ensure that all Central New York families have access to an adequate supply of diapers, and to build awareness of diaper need in the community.
“These babies are the future of our community,” Hugo said. “It’s important for us to give them the best start in life so that they can reach their full potential.” For more information about the CNY Diaper
OuR vOiCE
Henry Clay –National Pike
By JEFF SnOW town of Clay hiStorian
member
Clay hiStoriCal aSSoCiation
“Town of Clay” was named after Henry Clay, but many other places have shared his name, too.
Henry was a very well-liked senator from Kentucky. He was looking for improvements in roads and commerce that gave him the name, the Great Compromiser.
One goal of Clay’s was to establish a road from Cumberland, MD, to Wheeling, VA, (now WV.) This road is called the National Pike or other names like the Cumberland Road or the National Road.
The National Pike started in 1811 and was completed in 1818. Then other sections were completed all the way to St Louis at the Mississippi River. Other sections were also spurred off from the main road to other towns along the way.
Col. Moses Shepherd and his wife Lydia were very grateful for Clay having the National Pike come to Wheeling.
The Shepherds had a monument made in gratitude for Clay’s achievement of the road. It was placed on their property near the National Pike. On top of the monument shows the goddess of Liberty and Clay’s name is etched into the side thanking him. Unfortunately, time has erased the words and this monument is no longer in existence. The only memory are pictures like the one on the top right-hand corner. The Shepherds’ home is called the “Monument Place” and was a large attraction for many prominent people in the early 1800s. There
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Livin’ in Liverpool russ Tarby
That date became a day to visit cemeteries to mourn military personnel who died in the line of duty. Surviving family and friends gathered to lay flowers and place
U.S. flags on the graves. By 1890, every state in the nation had started celebrating Decoration Day annually on May 30. Then In 1968, Congress changed its observance to the last Monday in May, and in 1971 standardized its name as “Memorial Vets l Page 5
is a historical marker (pictured) near the Monument Place house stating – “On this site of Fort Shepherd is this mansion built in 1798 by Moses Shepherd. Among his guest were Lafayette, James Polk, Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay. Clay’s support brought the National Pike here”.
With the National Pike being planned across the country, a gentleman named
John Purviance in Washington Co, PA, saw economic opportunity in his area as this new road would be going across his property. Purviance planned a new town to be named in honor of Henry Clay called Claysville. This honor was for Clay’s staunch support of public improvements like this road (National Pike).
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C-NS boys lacrosse falls again to West Genesee
By PHIL BLACKWELL
What the Cicero-North Syracuse boys lacrosse team wanted out of last Thursday’s showdown with undefeated West Genesee at Bragman Stadium was a better performance start to finish.
Instead, what happened was that the Northstars struggled at the outset, especially on defense, and by the time that settled the Wildcats had a margin it would protect the rest of the way as it handed C-NS an 11-8 defeat.
What was different from the first meeting that WG won 12-6 was that the Wildcats would not wait until it fell behind before bringing out its top form.
Instead WG showed confidence at the outset, steadily building a margin until it led C-NS 8-3 at halftime. Then it could withstand getting held to a single goal in the third quarter as long as the Northstars were contained. C-NS never went through a prolonged scoring drought here, unlike the first encounter. Yet it only had four goal-scorers as Donovan Chaney got a hat trick with Emmit Porter and Adrian Sweeney both scoring twice and Dominck Sommers adding a goal. Quinn Empey, Nate Bustin and Jack Putman had assists.
WG saw Charlie Lockwood produce four goals and two assists. Nash Oudemool scored three times, with Jacob Pensabene getting a pair of goals. Chace Cogan added a goal and
two assists, with goalie Jon Shoults recording 12 saves to match Northstars counterpart Noah Samphier. Not happy with this result, C-NS took it out on Section II’s Troy LaSalle Institute Saturday in a 17-4 romp, with 10 different players scoring goals and Luke Deinhart feeding many of them with his five assists.
Chaney scored four times and got two assists, with Sommers getting three goals. Sweeney had two goals and three assists, Karsen Pritchard earning two assists as he joined Empey, Bustin, Blake Fefee, Joe Malecki and James Collins with single tallies.
Liverpool saw its struggles continue last Thursday in a 17-5 defeat to FayettevilleManlius, who broke out in the second quar-
ter eventually producing a 10-1 run over the course of two periods. Brady Michaud had three of the Warriors’ five goals. Chris Matott and Danny Dunn had the others, with Matott adding two assists and Brendan Caraher also getting an assist. Tom Porter led F-M with four goals and three assists.
Two days earlier Liverpool’s own game with West Genesee was postponed, to get made up this Thursday in between games against Baldwinsville and Watertown.
Speaking of the Bees, C-NS has to play them twice five days apart starting on Thursday as the last two games of the regular season after facing Fayetteville-Manlius on Monday at Hornet Stadium.
Liverpool, C-NS flag football both take losses
By PHIL BLACKWELL
With seven consecutive victories the Liverpool flag football team had moved past everyone in the Section III standings except one side, and would get its chance to reach the top.
When it took on Syracuse East last Monday night, the Warriors would net a pair of touchdowns, only to have East find the end zone three times on the way to prevailing 20-13.
It was Liverpool’s first defeat of the season which paved the way for Cicero-North Syracuse to make its own push up the standings which included last Monday’s wild 34-24 victory over Oneida.
Unstoppable on offense in the first half, the Northstars recorded four touchdowns, two of them by Shanyrah Burton-Sledge, and eventually built a 28-12 lead on the Express going into the break.
Not letting it get away, Oneida scored twice in the second half, making C-NS have to work until the final whistle to improve its mark to 7-3-1 as it headed into a tough regular-season homestretch.
Impressive in last Friday’s game against Syracuse West, C-NS worked through the rain to get a 21-0 victory, while Liverpool ran into red-hot Fayetteville-Manlius and lost 26-6 to the Hornets.
A first-year program, F-M started 1-4-1 but carried a four-game unbeaten streak into the game at Liverpool and burned the Warriors for four touchdowns while only allowing one. This meant the regular-season finale Wednesday between Liverpool and C-NS would carry lots of importance in terms of how the seeding for the Section III playoffs would shake out.
C-NS girls lacrosse handles West Genesee again
By PHIL BLACKWELL
For the second time this spring the CiceroNorth Syracuse girls lacrosse team would try and turn back the challenge of West Genesee, having won big 18-5 the first time they met in April.
Now on the turf at Mike Messere Field, the Northstars would not have the same kind of blazing performance at the outset that it did the first time around, but still rolled its way past the Wildcats 13-4.
It helped, no doubt, that C-NS was wellrested and WG had played 24 hours earlier, but what remained constant was the work Gabby Putman did to win draws as she got eight of them with Kaelyn Reid also claiming a pair of draws.
With all of those extra possessions the attack remained steady, Sophia Nesci notching four goals and two assists as Miabella Gates found the net three times and tacked on an assist.
Viviana Beardsley stepped up, earning a pair of goals to match those of Natalie Wilson, while Elizabeth Smith had a goal and two assists. Sophia Graham added one goal and one assist.
Of the Wildcats’ four goals, three of them came from Ashleigh Blanding. Gianna Puccia also converted, but everyone else was shut out, Northstars goalie Jilly Howell making six saves.
Another high-profile game for C-NS came on Saturday afternoon when it visited Victor, no. 2 in the state Class B rankings, and were pushed hard just like it was against South Jef-
ferson the week before.
But the Northstars beat the Blue Devils 14-10 with Putman and Smith both scoring four times and combining to grab 13 draws as Nesci got three goals and three assists. Gates, Graham and Ella Grotto had the other goals. Howell picked up nine saves.
Liverpool had seen West Genesee the night before C-NS did, and lost 13-7, though it was a far more competitive game than the 16-6 decision the Wildcats had earned over the Warriors when they first played.
In fact, it was tight in the first half, Maya Michaud and Maura Woods each scoring twice as Liverpool traded runs and found itself down by a single goal, 7-6, at the break.
But WG would wear the Warriors down with its attack and overcome Bella DaRin’s 14
saves as Blanding had four goals and Keira Vrabel three goals to lead the way. Lyric Noel and Gianna Carbone also netted Liverpool goals. Then Liverpool lost to Fayetteville-Manlius 15-8 a night later, getting two goals apiece from Noel, Michaud and Maura Beckwith as Woods and Carbone also scored and Lana Alampi earned two assists. Three Hornets –Taylor Novack, Jane Ryan and Addison Keyes – gained four goals apiece overcoming DaRin’s 15 saves.
After it played F-M Tuesday night, C-NS only had two regular-season games remaining, both of them against resurgent Baldwinsville, whom Liverpool would face Tuesday before home games against Jamesville-DeWitt and Fulton.
C-NS, Liverpool golf, tennis interrupted by rains
By PHIL BLACKWELL
At least at the outset the plan was to have the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool girls golf teams maintain a busy schedule through the first full week of May.
Della Budlong and Alexandra Kerneklian both shot 40, but they trailed a quartet of Wildcats led by Sophia Simiele’s 32 and Elliana Kent’s 33. Anya McGillivray finished with a 41 and Malia Works had a 46.
C-NS Green fell on Thursday to Baldwinsville 138-172 at Timber Banks, where
Instead incessant rains halted play for both sides until last Wednesday afternoon, when Liverpool went to West Hill Golf Course and took a 142-214 defeat to West Genesee.
Olivia Garrisi shot 41 to lead the Northstars. Hayden Wilkie had a 43 ahead of 44s from Jillian King and Sofia Normaly as Peyton Kowalski’s 30 paced the Bees.
All of the other scheduled matches for the week were rained out, meaning C-NS and Liverpool would stay busy in the final full week of the regular season leading up to the May 22 Section III tournament at the Pompey Club.
Meanwhile, in boys tennis C-NS and Liverpool had all their matches rained out, meaning they would wait to return until the sectional Class A team tournament where the no. 3 seed Northstars faced no. 6 seed Rome Free Academy in the quarterfinals and the no. 4 seed Warriors would get challenged by no. 5 seed Christian Brothers Academy.
C-NS, Liverpool baseball work between raindrops
By PHIL BLACKWELL
Typically in an area high school baseball season, teams have to wait through the April rains only to find a crowded schedule in May that stretches pitching rotation.
In 2025, though, the problem has reversed itself with rain a big factor in May affecting busy schedules for both CiceroNorth Syracuse and Liverpool
The state Class AAA no. 12-ranked Northstars were supposed to face Rome Free Academy and Fayetteville-Manlius early last week, but both got rained out.
It dried up long enough for C-NS to get in its game against Fulton last Thursday afternoon, and while it was far from a
C-NS,
smooth effort the Northstars did beat the Red Dragons 12-7.
Leading 4-0, C-NS suddenly saw Fulton, 0-10 going into the game, erupt for seven runs in the top of the fifth inning to go out in front, but the Northstars quickly countered with six runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 10-7 edge and added two runs in the sixth.
Jaden Zimmer went three-for-three with two singles, a double, walk and three runs scored. Shacory Williams drove in a pair of runs, with Jeremy Palmer, Lawson Weckesser and Jace Knopp adding RBIs. Lucas Aiello and Jaiden Gunnip both scored twice.
Now C-NS was set to play F-M Friday
Liverpool
By PHIL BLACKWELL
Despite all the rain, the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool softball teams spent the weekend of May 3-4 playing a series of games in tournament action on all-weather fields.
The Northstars went 1-1, shut down by Colonie 12-0 as pitcher Adrianna Laraway threw a no-hitter, striking out six as the only baserunners came from walks to Gabby Jaquin and Sydney Rockwell plus Laraway hitting Marisa Leone.
Far better for C-NS was its 17-2 romp over Section VI’s Williamsville South where Aubrey Coyle, whose home run was the lone run when the Northstars beat Liverpool 1-0 on Mayh 1, went deep for the sixth time this season.
Payton Bach also had a home run, matching Coyle’s total of three RBIs. Mia Farone drove in a pair of runs as Jaquin and Erica Hibbard
as part of the Strike Out Lou Gehrig’s Disease Classic at NBT Bank Stadium, but that got rained out, too.
Liverpool went to Onondaga Community College last Monday to face West Genesee on a day honoring late Christian Brothers Academy coach Tom Dotterer and his many contributions to the local baseball scene.
Though CBA’s nightcap against Westhill was halted when the rain picked up, Liverpool and WG did play and the Warriors lost, 6-1, to the Wildcats, who did most of its damage in a four-run second inning where it chased Warriors starting pitcher Nico Leone.
Only in the bottom of the sixth did the
Warriors get on the board when James Kelly singled home Graham Hoppe, but that was all WG pitcher Ryan Tabaczyk allowed despite Liverpool’s six hits, only one of them for extra bases as Dalton Logudice doubled. Between them, pitchers Zach Zingaro and Dom Carroll pitched 4 1/3 effective innings of relief.
Rained out of the rematch with the Wildcats a day later, Liverpool would not return utnil Monday and the start of its two-game series against C-NS, which would conclude the next day before the Warriors met Watertown and Christian Brothers Academy later in the week and the Northstars faced Auburn.
softball return after rainy interlude
had one RBI apiece and pitcher Kiyara Bembry pitched a complete game.
As for Liverpool, it split two games on May 3, losing 21-12 to Mepham but then getting a 12-strikeout two-hitter from Lexi Goodfellow to blank Pine Plains 3-0.
Then the Warriors topped Section VI’s Fredonia 9-6 on May 4 erasing an early 3-1 deficit before going to the top of the seventh inning and, with the score 4-4, striking for five runs that the Hillbilliies could only answer with two.
Fredonia’s five errors helped as Liverpool only had eight hits, two from Emily Nestor, who drove in a run to match Luciana Deuel and Ashley Nestor. Maya Mills got a pair of RBIs as Alivia Henty-Goldberg scored twice.
Then the rains halted things until Thursday night, when C-NS was able to take on long-time Class C power Sandy Creek at Onondaga Community College and dropped a 4-3 classic to the
Comets.
A first-inning run had the Northstars in front, but Sandy Creek struck for three runs in the top of the third off Mila Owens, the big blow a bases-clearing triple by Mikayla Glazier.
C-NS rallied with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull even 3-3, only to have the Comets earn a run in the top of the seventh and have pitcher Maddenleigh Soluri get the final three outs.
Mila Owens had 12 strikeouts in the pitcher’s circle, but the Northstars had only two hits off Soluri, one each by Rockewell and Paige Weckesser as they both scored runs and Leone added an RBI.
Back in action Friday at Webster Thomas High School near Rochester, Liverpool lost both ends of a doubleheader.
In the first game the Warriors dropped a 7-5 battle to Fairport, a game it led 4-0 through four
innings before Fairport scored once in the fifth inning and erupted for six runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ashley Nestor singled and drove in two runs, with Mills adding two hits as Deuel, Henty-Goldberg and Emily Nestor had one RBI apiece.
The second game saw Liverpool ran into host Webster Thomas and took a 15-0 defeat, with Mills and Erica Ryan both taking turns in the pitcher’s circle. Mia Cabrey had the Warriors’ lone hit as the Titans struck for seven runs in the first inning and five more runs in the third.
Four more games await Liverpool this week against Baldwinsville, Rome Free Academy, Union-Endicott and Webster Schroeder as C-NS gets two games with B’ville, another with West Genesee and one with FayettevilleManlius.