Though it had conquered everyone else in the CNY Counties League in its quest for an undefeated regular season, the West Genesee boys golf team had one big hurdle remaining – which it would have to scale twice.
In the first of two highly-anticipated encounters with Fayetteville-Manlius, the Wildcats went to the Hornets’ home course at Woodcrest Country Club Tuesday afternoonand, led by Ethan Smith, pulled out a tight 192-195 decision.
Smith, saving one of his best rounds of the season for when it really mattered, put together a nine-hole total of 36, which accounted for most of the eventual winning margin.
Ryan Keller and Andrew Massa led the Hornets with matching totals of 38, something that the Wildcats’ Sean Stanistreet also shot. Then there was matching totals of 39 from WG’s Dylan Plis and his F-M counterpart, F-M’s Tim Zapisek.
Ultimately, the Wildcats held on because its fourth and fifth golfers, Dean Matthews and Joe Morgan, each shot 40, while at the same time Ian Goodwin landed a 40 for the Hornets and his teammate, Steve Cachio, produced a 41.
That was just the opening battle, though, as the two sides would meet again Monday at Westvale Golf Club and, more importantly, clash for the big prize with plenty of other challengers Oct. 8 during the Section III Class AA tournament at the Links at Sunset Ridge.
The Wildcats tuned up for F-M by hosting Cicero-North Syracuse’s Green team at Westvale the day before, easily handling the Northstars 180-208.
Even in cold, windy conditions, Stanistreet put together a 34 to beat out teammate Shamus Hickey, who posted a season-low 35. Plis had a 36, with Patrick Ciarla managing a 37, each one of them topping C-NS Green’s low round of 38 from Nick Messerschmidt.
Smith added a 38 of his own, but would play even better a day later.
