A series of wins through a warm stretch of late September had pushed the Cicero-North Syracuse Blue boys golf team past everyone in the Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division standings – except Baldwinsville.
But when the Bees visited the Northstars at Northern Pines last Tuesday afternoon, C-NS Blue made its case as a championship contender, matching B’ville shot for shot and eventually inching in front to beat the Bees 188-192.
Of course, the Northstars had come close to defeating B’ville Sept. 8 at Timber Banks, that 203-206 decision something which motivated C-NS Blue for the rematch, where it proved nearly as hot as the 90-degree temperatures both sides had to face.
In particular, Jake Nardozza stood out for C-NS Blue, shooting a season-best 34 for nine holes at Northern Pines to match Maxwell Dec’s 34. They remained even when Brendan Villnave shot a 37, matched by Ben Donohue shot 37, and Andrew Brunozzi’s 37 equaled that of the Bees’ Matt Shipman.
Where it turned in the Northstars’ favor was with the 39s shot by Justin Pellegrino and Mike Battaglia, a number that the Bees’ tandem of Ryan Fecco and Tanner Glavin could not quite match as they finished at 40.
This put C-NS Blue at 9-2, but to share the league title it would still need to beat West Genesee on Thursday at Northern Pines – and it did so, relying on depth and consistency to defeat the Wildcats 191-200.
WG’s Nick Bove shot a 35, but he was the only Wildcat to break 40. by contrast, five Northstars did so, starting with Villnave, who had a 37 as Brunozzi and Nardozza both finished at 38. Nick Bough and Chase Hurley each posted 39 ahead of the 40s from WG’s Nick LaValle and Lucius Allen.
The irony of the situation was that, if C-NS Green somehow upset B’ville Thursday at Timber Banks, C-NS Blue would have the outright league title – but that didn’t happen, the Bees prevailing 189-221 as Pat Cuddy’s 40 was well back of Donohue and Fecco, who both posted 34.
Liverpool faced Syracuse on Wednesday and won a unique 187-187 match. Among the top five golfers, the scores were the same as the Warriors’ Spencer Baum shot 34 at Marcellus C ountry Club, matched by Syracuse’s Jon Kinane and Liam Murphy.
Dylan Husted had a 36 for Liverpool as Tyler Leatherwood shot 37, with Brandon Exner adding a 39. Syracuse countered with 39s from Seth Lee and Josh Williams.
When Mike Lloyd’s 41 matched that of the Warriors’ Brodie Powers, the two sides were tied, so it went to the sixth-golfer tie-breaker, an here Liverpool came out on top as Carson Ferguson, with a 42, beat out the 44 by Syracuse’s TreAnthony King.
On Thursday afternoon at Woodcrest, Liverpool again had a strong team effort, but lost, 190-198, to Fayetteville-Manlius, Individually, Baum, with a 37, was second only to the Hornets’ Kyle Gilroy, who had a 35. But four other F-M golfers shot 39 or lower ahead of the 40s by Exner, Husted and Patrick Langlois, with Powers shooting a 41.
