Just like all of the other varsity fall sports teams at Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool, the golf sides had to confront each other at some point.
So they did just that in last Monday afternoon’s match at Northern Pines, and C-NS Blue, on its home course, came out on top, pulling away to top Liverpool 200-224 by posting the four lowest individual scores.
Brendan Villnave led the way, matching par with a 36 for nine holes. Nick Ernstine finished with a 39, while Nick Bough and Chris Ranalli each shot 41, which beat out the top Warriors round of 42 posted by Spencer Baum.
It took a season-best 43 from Azzat Alsmari to put the match away for C-NS Blue. Meanwhile, Kenneth Krafft got his own 43 for Liverpool, with Tyler Dorval adding a 45 as Elijah Marris had a 46 and Brandon Exner contributed a 48.
Following a week’s worth of action, it was the turn of C-NS’s Green team to face Liverpool, and in this match at Liverpool Country Club, that other group of Northstars would emerge triumphant by topping the Warirors 199-207.
Krafft and C-NS Green’s Jake Nardozza shared individual honors, each of them posting a 38. Where the Northstars moved in front was in the three 40s posted by Ben Haven, Ryan Sisco and Carson Carino, a total just two Liverpool golfers (Dorval and Spencer Baum) would match.
By having Mike Battaglia and Brian Pellegrino add rounds of 41, the Northstars got away, as Exner shot 44 for Liverpool and Marris adding a 45.
C-NS Blue would host a big match against defending Section III Class AA champion West Genesee on Thursday, having lost to them 188-194 on Aug. 30 at Westvale. This one was even closer, with the difference coming at the top of the standings as the Northstars fell to the Wildcats 190-192.
A strong team effort from C-NS Blue included a 37 from Andrew Brunuzzi, who led the charge. Ernstine improved to a 38, while Villnave, Ranalli and Justin Pellegrino each shot 39, totals good enough to win most of the time.
But WG’s Dylan Plis shot a blistering 33, four shots ahead of Brunuzzi and double the eventual winning margin. He was helped by Joe Morgan (38) and Jimmy LaValle (39) as Nick Bove and Mike DiPaola both posted 40 when they needed 41s for the Wildcats to prevail.
Meanwhile, C-NS Green would test first-place Fayetteville-Manlius last Tuesday at Woodcrest Golf Club, where the Hornets, on its home course, prevailed 187-216 over the Northstars.
Nardozza shot a 40, with Pellegrino and Josh Matyasik both posting 43 as Sisco and Battaglia each shot 45. F-M had six players shoot 40 or lower, including John Cacchio, whose two-under-par 34 beat Nick Perry (35) by one shot as Jason Coleman added a 38.
After the loss to C-NS Blue, Liverpool earned a victory of its own last Wednesday when it turned back the combined Syracuse City team 196-226, posting the four lowest individual rounds .
Krafft won the individual contest with a 37 at LCC, just ahead of Baum, with a 38, and Dorval and Exner, who both shot 39. Though Syracuse’s Joe Lee posted a 41, none of his teammates topped the 44 from Josh Williams as Marris, with a 43, locked up the Warriors’ victory.
Then C-NS Green met up with Baldwinsville on Thursday, and it turned into a 189-229 defeat at Timber Banks. Chase Hurley led the Northstars with a 44, with Sisco and Haven each shooting 45 ahead of Nardozza (48) and Carson Carino (47).
But the Bees had the five lowest individual rounds, led by Tim Garraffo, whose 36 beat Maxwell Dec and Ryan Fecco (37 each), along with Matt Shipman (39) and Zach Ravas, who had a 40.
