It took nearly half the regular season and six matches, but the East Syracuse Minoa Blue boys golf team finally met with defeat, and at the hands – and clubs – of its neighbors from Jamesville-DeWitt.

Only with a 4-3 record going into last Monday’s match at Drumlins, the Red Rams cared little for the Spartans’ 5-0 record and pulled them out of sole possession of first place in the Salt City Athletic Conference Empire division, prevailing by a two-stroke margin, 218-220.

It was ESM Blue’s Ian Rivers posting the low nine-hole score of 36, but no other Spartan was close to his total as Justin Seltzer managed a 42. In between them, J-D’s Peter Hatton had a 38 and Alvin Ratanaphan shot a 39.

Jake Ellithorpe, with a 44, beat out ESM Blue’s Dan Sitnik (46) and David Griffith (47), but it took Turner Pomeroy shooting a 48 and Max Schulman picking up a 50 to help the Rams hang on. The Spartans’ Ryan MacCombie had a 50 when his team needed a 47 as Nate Powell (53) and Luke Garlick (54) loomed close behind.

J-D went on to face Cortland Wednesday and won 211-226 at Drumlins. Ratanaphan and Ellithorpe both shot 40, one behind the Purple Tigers’ David Benjamin (39), and the Rams pulled away with 43s from Hatton and Tanner Burns as Cooper Werner contributed a 45.

And it continued for J-D with Friday’s 211-219 win over Auburn at Drumlins, decided by Ratanaphan shooting a 37 as Hatton had a 41 and Burns a 42 around the 39 by the Maroons’ Ross Burgmaster. To clinch it, Ellithorpe needed to post 45 as Schulman contributed a 46.

This came after ESM Blue beat Cortland 229-233 on Tuesday as ESM Orange shot 260. Rivers, with a 37, was just ahead of Benjamin (39), with Seltzer also shooting 39 ahead of Cortland’s Cooper Swartout and Landon Rozewski (40 each),

It took Sitnik shooting a 48, Jacob Harrig getting a 50 and MacCombie shooting 54 for the Spartans to catch and pass the Purple Tigers. Dan Pacheco led ESM Orange with a 50, with Ryan Walsh and Donovan Marriott each shooting 52. Alex Leo and Ryan Bova had equal rounds of 54.

To start its week, ESM Orange lost, 218-249, to Fulton. Pacheco shot a 48 at Battle Island, matched or topped by five Red Raiders golfers, including Kameron Whipple, who led with a 40. Walsh got a 49, with Marriott posting a 50. Leo and Bova both shot 51.

Fayetteville-Manlius, looking to keep pace with Baldwinsville atop the SCAC Metro division, won last Monday over Liverpool 202-217. Sean Arthur had a 38 at Liverpool Country Club to beat out Kyle Gilroy’s 39 and Adam Butch’s 40. Sam DiChristina had a 42 as Mike Millimaci, with a 43, matched the Warriors’ low round by Brandon Exner, Jacob Fahey and Tyler Leatherwood.

Taking on Cicero-North Syracuse Green Thursday at Northern Pines, F-M prevailed again, 190-210, led by Butch and Arthur, who both shot 37 as Millmaci’s 38 matched that of the Northstars’ Liam Mussi. Gilroy and Cal Isley put the match away, each of them shooting 39.

Christian Brothers Academy improved to 7-1 on the season with last Monday’s 231-275 romp over Phoenix at Caughdenoy Links. Mike Santoro’s 43 led the way for the Brothers as David Gross shot a 45. Jack Lester had a 46 and Chris Bushnell finished with a 47 as Dan Angelo had a 50.

A tougher test loomed Wednesday, at Skaneateles, who had gone 5-2 in its first seven matches, all of them on the road, but now was getting a chance to compete on its home course at Skaneateles Country Club last Monday and beating LaFayette.

Now, with first place in the OHSL Liberty National division at stake, CBA took on Skaneateles, and even with earning two of the three best rounds of the day, the Brothers still lost to the Lakers 219-234.

Santoro, with a 41, shared top individual honors with Skaneateles’ Michael Murphy. Gross had a 43, matched by the Lakers’ Ty Jones and just ahead of 44s from Kenny Peterson and Tyson DiRubbo. That, plus Ben Spinelli’s 47, helped Skaneateles hang on as Lester shot 46, Angelo had a 50 and Bushnell shot 54.

On Thursday, CBA went right back into the win column, handling Mexico 205-216 at Emerald Crest. Santoro’s 38 was the only round under 40, a total the Tigers’ Zach Revette posted, but Angelo and Lester got close, each shooting 41, while Bushnell had a 42 and Gross posted a 43.

Then, in Friday’s hard-fought 228-242 win over Chittenango at Rogues Roost, the Brothers saw Little and Gross both post 43, the same as the Bears’ Tyrus Kelly. But it took Brent Savage shooting a 45 and Jack MacLachlan posting a 46 to keep CBA in front as Joe Nicholson finished with a 50.