Right at the end, the Cazenovia boys golf team almost caught up to Westhill and snared the Section III Class B championship Monday at Kanon Valley Country Club in Oneida.
However, the Lakers’ quest fell just short as, with a score of 420, it finished just two shots behind the Warriors, who had 418 and repeated its sectional title from 2012.
Matt Schaffner led Cazenovia’s efforts. He shot an 80, beating everyone in the field except Canastota’s Ian Campbell, who won the individual Class B championship with a 74. Schaffner also beat Westhill’s top player, Mike Wild, by one shot.
Trevor Gatzke managed an 82, tying Westhill’s Nate Miesner for fifth place. Trevor Nourse, who only qualified for the sectional tournament three days earlier, helped by a hole-in-one at Pine Grove in a match against Marcellus and Solvay, stayed hot here, posting an 84 to finish alone in 11th place.
Brian Demo tied for 15th with an 86, and as a result became the fourth Cazenovia golfer, along with Schaffner, Gatzke and Nourse, to advance to Thursday’s state qualifying tournament at Colgate University’s Seven Oaks course.
A day later, that same course, Kanon Valley, hosted the Section III girls golf tournament, where Cazenovia, with a team total of 410, finished second among seven Class B sides, trailing only Jamesville-DeWitt, who won with 373.
Danielle Mevec shot a 96 to lead the Lakers, while Maggie Carpenter posted a 97. Maddie Ellithorpe finished at 108 as Kelsi Fredericks posted 109 and Sam Quarantillo shot 110.
Chittenango, who had a team total of 426 to take fourth place, featured Meg Arnold shooting a 98 and Megan Gearity adding a 102. Kari Cumber finished at 113, two shots better than Carolyn Ledger.
Some of Cazenovia’s girls golfers competed in last Monday’s Section III ‘B’ championship at Butternut Creek. Mevec led the way, shooting a 39 for nine holes, while Quarantillo managed a 44 Ellithorpe and Erin Howles each posted 48.
