By the time they got to September, the West Genesee boys golf team had the opportunity it craved to take charge in the Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division.
The Wildcats were 5-0 going into Labor Day weekend in the wake of back-to-back wins on Aug. 30 and 31, the first of them a 202-231 romp over Cicero-North Syracuse’s Green team at Northern Pines.
Nick Bove, the individual champion of the Aug. 27 Drumlins Invitational, had a 35 for nine holes, five shots better than a pack that included teammate Peyton Mullane, who shot 40.
Tim Dipaola and Lucius Allen both posted 41 to make it a top-four WG sweep as Jack Gordon added a 45, just behind the 44 from C-NS Green’s top individual, Carter Costello.
Then the Wildcats traveled to Liverpool and won again, claiming a tight 196-199 match that featured quite an individual battle, Bove shooting a 33 at Liverpool Country Club, but the Warriors’ Spencer Baum topping him with a 32.
Still, WG kept up as Dipaola, with a 38, was fourth behind Liverpool’s Dylan Husted (37). Then Kevin McDermott’s 41 matched that of the Warriors’ Sam Sgroi, and with twin 42s from Allen and Dan Benetti, the Wildcats went in front, holding off the 43s from Kadeen Hacker and Pat Langlois.
By the time WG beat Syracuse 189-222 last Tuesday at Sunset Ridge, it stood atop the SCAC Metro standings as the lone remaining undefeated team.
Bove continued his impressive run with a 34, while Dipaola shot a season-best 36. Connor Barry and Will Good joined in, each posting 38 ahead of Syracuse’s Liam Murphy (39) as Jacob Weaver contributed a 41.
Now 4-0, WG met Cicero-North Syracuse Blue on Thursday at Northern Pines with first place at stake, since the Northstars had won four in a row following a season-opening defeat to Fayetteville-Manlius.
With a total team effort, the Wildcats beat the Northstars 193-204, Bove again shooting 33, but this time five shots ahead of the field as Dipaola was second with a 38.
Peyton Mullane stepped up with a 39, matching the low C-NS Blue rounds from Jake Nardozza and Ryan Sisco, while McDermott had a second straight 41. Further depth came from Good and Barry, who had matching 42s as Benetti shot 44 and Lucius Allen had a 46.
Westhill had gone through an up-and-down start and was far from great in its Aug. 30 match against Phoenix at Camillus Country Club, but still did enough to beat the Firebirds 237-281.
For the first time all season, Anthony Maglisco did not lead the Warriors. Instead, Michael Britt’s 45 beat Phoenix’s Justin Alberici (46) by a single stroke as Aidan Ryan matched Alberici’s 46 and Andrew Corning added a 48.
However, the Warriors lost 230-234 to Chittenango a day later at Rogues Roost, though Maglisco’s 37 was enough for individual honors ahead of the Bears’ Tyrus Kelly, who shot 38.
A key was Brad Randall getting 43 for Chittenango ahead of the 46 from Britt, with Ryan’s 47 equaled by the Bears’ Tanner Smith and Brendan Fraser shooting 49 in front of Corning and James Hunt, who both got 52. Luke Gilmartin shot 56.
Westhill showed improvement in last Tuesday’s 216-236 win over LaFayette at Orchard Valley. Maglisco’s 38 was one shot ahead of the Lancers’ Thomas Long (39), while Britt posted a 43 and Hunt a 44 to claim the next two individual spots.
Now the Warriors returned to CCC to face Tully on Thursday afternoon and cruised to a 208-236 victory as Maglisco dipped under par with a 33 and Britt was second with a 38. Corning, with a 45, was one stroke ahead of Ryan and Gilmartin.
