J-D, F-M golfers get big early wins

Competition among the area’s high school girls golf teams is often fierce, due to the quality of courses and the talent assembled at the four schools involved.

Jamesville-DeWitt has proven itself to master the intimate Butternut Creek layout, as it showed throughout the week, most notably in last Thursday’s 150-174 victory over one of its biggest rivals, Christian Brothers Academy.

The Red Rams’ main trio of Jung-Hye Kim, Molly Hair and Victoria Roney continued to lead the way. Kim shot a nine-hole total of 35, one better than Hair, while Roney produced a 38, all of them good scores amid the high winds.

Ellie Baumgartner, with a 37, led CBA’s effort, but none of her teammates broke 40 as Annie Fletcher (43) got closest to that mark.

J-D started last Monday afternoon’s season-opening 141-182 romp over Marcellus. Kim led the way, shot a 31, nearing par, while Hair (33) Roney (35) had low rounds, too.

That same trio was effective again Wednesday as J-D beat Westhill 149-197. Hair this time had the low round, of 35, but Kim was just one shot behind with a 36 and Roney was steady, too, with a 38.

Fayetteville-Manlius, perennially atop the CNY Counties League standings and looking to reclaim Section III honors after Rome Free Academy prevailed a year ago, saw two matches rained out before it made up the first of them last Monday and beat Central Square 194-254.

Again playing its home matches at Green Lakes, the Hornets counted on some veterans to work through the windy, damp conditions. Alexandra Millimaci shot a 44, while teammates Allison Donella and Natalie Powers each posted 48. The Red Hawks’ best round came from Julianna Hollister, who had a 59.

A much bigger test loomed Wednesday, against Auburn, the only team that beat F-M a year ago. But the Hornets were up to it, battling to a 178-186 victory over the Maroons.

Millimaci and Donella both shot 42, one behind Auburn’s top individual, Larissa Carter, which put F-M in front. Then Kenzie Kingsley and Annie Caputo added matching totals of 48 to equal the work of the Maroons’ Alayna Slayton and Maggie Flurschultz, and those four scores of 48 or better made the difference.

CBA, in its opener last Monday against Chittenango, beat the Bears 203-223 at Drumlins. Baumgartner, one of the key returnees for the Brothers, led all individuals with a 46, beating out Mary Burlin, who had a 50. East Syracuse-Minoa started play by going to Skaneateles and falling to the Lakers 236-267.

Right after the J-D loss, the Brothers rebounded at Woodcrest, shooting 196 to again beat Chittenango (221) and also top Skaneateles, who had 207. Baumgartner shot a 45 and had better depth behind her despite the Lakers’ Kelsey Fenner managing a 40.

In boys golf, Manlius-Pebble Hill opened with a 243-311 victory over Cato-Meridian and followed it up by topping Fabius-Pompey 232-284 as Mark Murray shot a 37, helped by Gerrit Church and John Alley (45 each).

Bishop Grimes fell to Port Byron 243-256, this happening even though the Cobras’ Anthony Ruscitto shot a 47 and Steve Adamitis added a 48. A 239-279 defeat to Bishop Ludden followed amid Thursday’s high winds.