For the second year in a row, Cicero-North Syracuse girls golfer Brianna Sovring is on her way to SUNY-Delhi to play in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association tournament.
It was how Sovring got to that point that provided all the excitement and tension during Tuesday’s Section III championships at Kanon Valley Country Club in Oneida.
In the season’s hottest and most humid conditions, Sovring steadily made her way around Kanon Valley in 87 shots for 18 holes, putting her near the top of the leaderboard.
But when all the scores were gathered, the C-NS junior found herself tied for seventh place with three others – Jamesville-DeWitt’s Victoria Roney, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill’s Amanda Snigel and Fayetteville-Manlius’ Natalie Powers.
Since only nine golfers earn automatic state tournament berths, Sovring, Roney, Singel and Powers made their way back down the par-five 1st fairway in a playoff. The highest score would be eliminated.
Showing remarkable poise, Sovring earned a par. So did Roney and Snigel. But Powers, with a bogey dropped out, and Sovring found herself among the top nine at the sectional tournament again.
C-NS, as a team, shot 413 in the state tournament, seventh among Class A teams. Bridget Burrows shot a 103, with Jenna Doran (111) finishing one shot better than Rachel Brody. Liverpool’s Alessa Main finished with a 105 as Ally Stephens added a 122.
Auburn won with 336, beating runner-up F-M by 25 shots, helped by the fact that Larissa Carter won the individual championship with a 75 and her teammate, seventh-grader Lindsay May, was second, one shot back of Carter.
Carter, May, Sovring, Roney, Snigel, Molly Hair (also of J-D), Allison Donella (also from F-M), Kaitlin Hlywa (also from Auburn) and Katie Walsh (Baldwinsville) make up the state tournament team going to SUNY-Delhi.
Cicero-North Syracuse girls golfer Kenley Delbiondi waited all season for her chance to shine – and then took full advantage when that opportunity presented itself.
During last Monday’s Section III ‘B’ division tournament at Butternut Creek, Delbiondi emerged as the individual champion, beating a field of 37 other golfers from the likes of Fayetteville-Manlius, Jamesville-DeWitt and Cazenovia.
Over nine holes, Delbiondi shot a 37, which was just enough to hold off F-M’s Paige Freyer (38) by one shot and earn the medalist honors. Cazenovia’s Danielle Mevec was third, with 39.
As a team, C-NS shot 182 at this tournament. Jaelyn Delbiondi, with a 43, was six shots behind her sister, while Rachel Scalzo managed a 44. Anne Basile and Megan Mulpagano each shot 58, while Gabby Nicolini managed a 60.
Meanwhile, warming up for its own sectional tournament appearance at Kanon Valley in Oneida, the main C-NS girls team beat Oswego 208-214. Sovring shot a 47, leading all individuals, two shots better than the Buccaneers’ Courtney Kelly.
