Once the West Genesee boys golf team toppled Cicero-North Syracuse Blue from the top of the CNY Counties League standings with a head-to-win win on Sept. 16, it now had to withstand the challenges from everyone chasing them.
That included Auburn, who came to Westvale Golf Club last Monday afternoon and, led by the blistering round posted by Mike May, played quite well, only to see the Wildcats top them anyway in a 181-187 battle.
When May shot an astonishing 30 for nine holes, he established the low nine-hole total for any individual in any Section III boys golf match this fall. But only two other Maroon golfers, Trevor Hogan (37) and Tyler Ely (39), broke 40.
Meanwhile, six WG players did so, starting with Mike DiPaola, who had a 35, followed closely by the 36 that Joe Morgan and Ethan Smith posted. Dylan Plis, Kyle Korzeniewski and Mike Scherer each shot 37, meaning that Sean Stanistreet (39) didn’t need his best stuff, thanks to the help from his teammates.
Just 24 hours later, the Wildcats hosted a Cicero-North Syracuse Green side that beat Baldwinsville the day before – but didn’t have the same magic here, WG beatingthem 189-211.
This one belonged to Plis, who tried to match May’s round from the day before, and while not quite getting there, his 32 was seven shots better than Stanistreet. Dom Pensabene also shot 39, as did Nick Bove, with Smith contributing a 40, the same as C-NS Green’s top player, Nick Ernestine.
Then, at Drumlins on Friday, WG routed Syracuse 188-264 for its 10th win in a row. Plis stayed hot, shooting a 34, while DiPaola earned his second 35 of the week and Bove finished with a 38. Dean Matthews earned a 40 as Mike Scherer gained a 41.
Clinching the league title requires the Wildcats to beat Fayetteville-Manlius and Baldwinsville next week before the Oct. 7 Section III Class AA championships at Arrowhead Golf Club in East Syracuse.
