That unfortunate string prompted by the coronavirus came to an end for the Blue Bombers, as their girls and boys varsity soccer squads were back in action playing their first matches of the shortened and delayed seasons.

Willsboro provided the competition for both Blue Bombers teams on Saturday. Lake Placid’s strong, experienced girls squad traveled to face the Warriors and claimed an impressive 6-1 victory on the road. Meanwhile, Lake Placid’s boys squad entered its home matchup missing some key players and dropped a 2-1 decision to Willsboro at the North Elba Show Grounds.

Olivia Ferebee fueled Lake Placid with some big-time firepower when she pumped in four goals, which all came within a span of less than seven minutes. Dariana Patterson and Webber Hemsley each added single tallies in the win.

Patterson got Lake Placid going scoring the game’s first goal with 7:40 remaining in the opening half. Ferebee, a freshman, then took over. She netted her first of the match 2:05 before halftime, and then added her next three early in the second half. Ferebee buried her next tally just 36 seconds after intermission to up Lake Placid’s lead to 3-0, and followed with goals at the 3:24 and 4:36 marks to put her team firmly in command.

Lake Placid’s Chris Byrne drills a direct kick while Jaycob Gough (20) and Robby Drollette defend the play during the second half of Saturday’s match. (Enterprise photo — Lou Reuter)

The teams then traded a goal each down the stretch. Jenna Ford scored for Willsboro 5:06 into the second half and Hemsley answered for Lake Placid with the game’s final goal.

Lake Placid outshot Willsboro 23-4. Arnita Cecunjanin was credited with three saves in net for the Blue Bombers and the junior also picked up an assist on Ferebee’s fourth goal. Patterson and Lilly Fisher added an assist each in the victory.

Abby Bruno recorded 16 saves in goal for Willsboro.

Lake Placid’s boys brought a depleted roster into its season-opener against Willsboro, and the Blue Bombers put up a fight before falling in overtime.

Willsboro scored its lone goal of regulation on a direct kick from near mid field with just five seconds left in the opening half. The Blue Bombers evened the match near the middle of the second half on a beautiful shot by Matt Brandes from about 30 yards out.

The Warriors then won the match in the second minute of overtime on a play that started on a direct kick and ended with a Willsboro player scoring after controlling a loose ball in the penalty area and sending it home.

Despite the loss, Lake Placid coach Stuart Hemsley was pleased with what he saw from his young team, which was missing some veteran attackers up front. The Blue Bombers were further hampered by the loss of starting goaltender Jack Armstrong, who was injured in the first half

“Willsboro has eight seniors and I had seven kids playing their first varsity match,” Hemsley said. “I was very happy with our play.”

Hemsley described one of those varsity newcomers, sophomore Alex Wright, as the “Man of the Match.”

“Alex Wright grew up on Saturday,” Hemsley said. “He was strong on the ball, strong moving the ball and not afraid of anybody.”

Although the Blue Bombers couldn’t pull out the victory, Hemsley said it was great to see his players just have the opportunity to finally play a real match.

“With the guys we were missing, to come out of this with a 1-nil loss, I have to be happy,” he said. “We finished with 11 players and we went through three goalies, but the kids never quit. Just to see their parents be able to come out and see their kids play, that was great.”

Lake Placid’s girls are next slated to play at Moriah Wednesday starting at 4 p.m. The Blue Bombers boys next host Saranac Central Thursday, with the opening kickoff also scheduled for 4 p.m.