Having roared to a 6-0 start before the school break, the Marcellus boys golf team did not want to see that mark blemished by anyone – least of all its neighbors from Westhill.
So when those two sides clashed last Tuesday afternoon at Camillus Country Club, the Mustangs, tightening its grip on first place in the OHSL Liberty division, made it seven consecutive wins, holding off the Warriors 213-221.
The cushion was built at the top, where Carter Austin, shooting a 39 for nine holes, led all individuals and his Marcellus teammate, Jay Colella, had a 41. Then Frank Szczech and Tom Fiacchi both posted 44. Meanwhile, Westhill could only get a top total of 43 from Jared Zion, with Tim Alcaro and David Bleskoski each posting their own rounds of 44.
In its only other match of the week, Marcellus topped Cazenovia 212-228 on Friday afternoon at Camillus Country Club. Austin and Colella both shot 40, trailing the Lakers’ Cody Thorp, but getting lots of help from Tim Sheridan, who had a 42, and Szczech, who had a 44. Nick Sonnacchio had a 46 as Fiacchi contributed a 48.
On that same day, Westhill rolled past Jordan-Elbridge 206-252 at Millstone, where Sean Dadey gained a 39 and Jake Mullen had a 40, topping Bleskoski and Josh Marshall, who each posted 41 ahead of Alcaro’s 45. The Eagles featured Robert Alcock and Max Bondgren, who both shot 41, too, as Nate Melfi contributed a 47.
Back on Tuesday, J-E took on Solvay and the Eagles prevailed, 239-254, even though the Bearcats’ Jon Smolen had the low individual round of 41.
Alcock Nate Melfi each shot 43 to lead the Eagles, while Cole Melfi had a 44 and Bondgren added a 48. All of them finished ahead of Solvay’s second-best rounds, as Colby and Conrad Skrupa each finished with 52, just ahead of Joe Sardo (53) and Noah Capella (56). Ben Sullivan had a 61 for the Eagles.
J-E had a three-way match with Skaneateles and Altmar-Parish-Williamstown on Wednesday afternoon, shooting 282, which defeated the Rebels’ 318, but was far back of the Lakers’ total of 230.
Robbie Alcock shot a 47 to lead the Eagles, but none of his teammates posted a score below 50 in windy conditions at Skaneateles Country Club. Nate Melfi had a 51, with Bondgren posting a 53. Skaneateles saw Jacob Patalino shoot a 44, just ahead of Steve Ciaccio (45), Ty Jones (46), Luke Palmer (47) and Sam Clymer (48). Jones, just a seventh-grader, recorded a hole-in-one at SCC during the school break.
In its only match of the week, Bishop Ludden fell to Manlius-Pebble Hill 209-272. Dan Cacchione had a 45 for the Gaelic Knights, with Matt DeAngelis adding a 52 as Johnny Gruninger (38) and George Bruno (41) paced the Trojans.
Prior to the school break, the Westhill girls golf team had not lost a match in 2016, but things got tougher once May rolled around.
In last Monday’s match against Christian Brothers Academy at Camillus Country Club, the Warriors lost, 202-211, to the Brothers. Gabbi LoCurto shot a 52, but that trailed CBA’s top two players as Megan McKeen shot a 44 and Liz Kip posted a 49.
Angela Vigliotti had a 55, one shot ahead of Shannon Bunce, who had led Westhill for much of the season, Lydia Stevenson managed a 58. They all trailed CBA’s Paige Nicholson, who had a 54, while the trio of Mackenzie Griffith, Sophia Mattone and Katie Cool matched Vigliotti’s 55.
Those struggles continued a day later, when the Warriors fell to East Syracuse Minoa 196-215 at Arrowhead Golf Club.
Bunce, with a 49, went back to her team’s forefront, but Stevenson and LoCourto both finished with 55, with Vigliotti (56) and Madeline Jones (58) close behind. The Spartans, meanwhile, got terrific rounds from Audrey Rivers (44) and Hannah Owens (47) as Bailey Murphy had a 51 and Kaleigh Graves a 54.
Marcellus started its week by handling Cazenovia 209-240 last Monday afternoon. The Mustangs netted the three low individual scores Mary Colella shot a 48 at Cazenovia Country Club, with Hannah Abbott adding a 50 and Grace Alexander contributing a 54, each of them ahead of the Lakers’ Erin Howles (55) as Erin Hass contributed a 57.
Then, when Marcellus took its shot at CBA on Thursday, it prevailed, 217-232, over the Brothers. Abbott had a 46 and Colella shot a 49, both of them far clear of Kip (54) and McKeen (55) on the Brothers’ side. Hass got a 59 and Alexander finished with a 63.
A perfect 3-0 week for the Mustangs concluded with a 201-243 romp over Chittenango where Colella put up a 43, the best individual total by eight shots. Abbott, with a 51, beat out Alexander (52) for second-place honors as Hass, with a 55, matched the Bears’ low round by Rachel Cleary.
West Genesee had matches rained out earlier in the week, but did play on Friday afternoon and lost, 196-222, to Cicero-North Syracuse. Juliana Burns led the Wildcats with a 50, while Mikki Riley had a 51, each of them trailing C-NS teammates Nessa McKie (43) and Morgan Siechen (48).
