CENTRAL NEW YORK – In the course of his six years and five seasons with the Marcellus boys golf team, Shawn Colella never lost with a Mustangs squad that won 54 consecutive matches.
Before heading to Binghamton University to continue his education and golf career, though, Colella had one more opportunity to win – and seized it.
During Monday’s Section III small-school championships at Barker Brook Golf Club in Oriskany Falls, Colella emerged as the individual champion amid a field of nearly 100 golfers.
Shooting an even-par 72, Colella beat Waterville’s Gabe Williams by four strokes as he was the only player in the field to match par amid 90-plus degree temperatures. Will Glass, Colella’s teammate, shot an 81 to finish alone in seventh place.
In the team portion at Barker Brook, Marcellus finished third at 349, one shot behind Skaneateles, whose 348 was toppped only by Waterville’s winning total of 331. Tynan Jones led the Lakers, his 76 finishing third behind Colella and Williams, while Jordan-Elbridge’s Jeremy Meili led his side with an 86.
Colella wasn’t the only local individual champion. Westhill’s Anthony Maglisco achieved a similar title during the large-school sectional tournament at Colgate University’s Seven Oaks course.
Maglisco carded a four-over-par 76, a total matched by Oswego teammates Mike Douglas and Ryan Bartlett, but in a playoff for the individual title Maglisco prevailed.
At that same venue, the Class AA sectional title was decided, with West Genesee shooting 352 to finish third behind Fayetteville-Manlius (331) and Baldwinsville (338).
Individually, Ryan Till led the Wildcats, shooting an 85, five shots behind B’ville’s Aidan Farmer and F-M’s duo of Velton Perry and Andrew Heyman. Owen Zoanetti finished with an 88, with Peyton Mullane shooting an 89 ahead of a 90 from Max Lauricella and 93 from Connor Christie.
When the girls sectional tournament took place at Kanon Valley in Oneida, heavy early-morning rains shortened the event from 18 to nine holes, but did not keep Westhill junior Catherine Dadey from matching Maglisco in giving the Warriors an individual sectional championship.
In fact, Dadey pulled away from the field with her four-over-par 40, a full five shots ahead of the 45 from Christian Brothers Academy’s Annie Kilmartin.
As a team, Westhill finished fourth with a 238, while Marcellus got seventh place with 242, though it was Skaneateles’ Jillian Scott which had the area’s best individual score outside of Dadey as she tied for 11th with a 53, with teammate Julia Marshall adding a 55.
Bronte Stahl and Colleen Marsh both shot 60 for Marcellus, ahead of a 61 from Miranda Stewart and 63 from Allie Coombs. Behind Dadey for Westhill, Hannah Johnston had a 62 and Jules Bleskoski a 65.
West Genesee’s lone representative in the sectional Division I tournament, Maria Bove, posted a 56 which put her in a tie for 36th place as Liverpool’s Mia Avotins beat Fayetteville-Manlius’ Lucy Fowler in a playoff for the title after both finished at 37.
