In what proved an odd twist, it was warmer for area high school boys golf teams in the last full week of the regular season than it was in August, when things got underway.
For East Syracuse Minoa Blue, the last bit of business involved securing the Salt City Athletic Conference Empire division regular-season championship – which it did last Friday when it defeated Auburn 208-227 at Highland to improve its record to 12-2.
Though Auburn’s Ross Burgmaster posted a 38 to lead all individuals, the Spartans had the next four best rounds, starting with Ian Rivers’ 39. Justin Seltzer shot 40, with Luke Garlick getting a season-best 41 and Ryan MacCombie adding a 43 ahead of the 44 by the Maroons’ Carter Mizro. David Griffith clinched ESM Blue’s win with a 45.
Jamesville-DeWitt, who finished second in the SCAC Empire division at 11-3, worked through the heat last Monday at Drumlins to defeat Fulton 208-219. Though Ean Stevenson led the Red Raiders with a 38, the Red Rams had the next four lowest rounds.
Peter Hatton and Jake Ellithorpe each shot 40, with Alvin Ratanaphan earning a 41. Max Schulman shot a 42 to match Fulton’s Brian Trombley as Tyler Brang shot a season-best total of 45.
Fayetteville-Manlius lost a 183-189 decision to West Genesee last Wednesday at Westvale Country Club. These teams had met Sept. 8 at Woodcrest, and F-M had prevailed 202-214, but in the rematch at home WG’s Nick Bove matched the Hornets’ Kyle Gilroy as they both shot 35, while Jack Corcoran and Jimmy LaValle tied for third with 36.
Though F-M’s Adam Butch had a 37, Dan Benetti matched that total for the Wildcats, and Kevin McDermott’s 39 beat out the Hornets’ Cal Isley (40), Sean Arthur (41) and Mike Millmaci (42) to help preserve the win.
On Thursday, F-M rebounded to beat Liverpool 190-198, Gilroy shooting a 35 to finish two shots ahead of the Warriors’ Spencer Baum. Arthur had a 38, with Clay Fellmeth shooting a season-best 39 to match Millimaci and Sam DiChristina ahead of the 40s from Liverpool teammates Brandon Exner and Dylan Husted.
Any hope of Christian Brothers Academy catching Skaneateles atop the OHSL Liberty National division vanished in last Tuesday’s narrow 210-212 defeat to the Lakers at Drumlins.
At the top, Jack Lester joined Skaneateles’ Ty Jones, each shooting 39. The two sides matched again at 41, David Gross joined by the Lakers’ Michael Murphy and again at 42 thanks to Mike Santoro and Skanetaeles’ Kenny Peterson.
Only here did it break in the Lakers’ favor, because Ben Spinelli and Tyson DiRubbo again had the same scores, but improved to 44, while the Brothers had just one golfer, Chris Bushnell, on that 44 total as Joe Nicholson produced a 46.
ESM Orange lost last Monday to Oswego 206-253, with the Buccaneers’ Joe Kelly shooting a 34 at Oswego Country Club and teammate Ryan Bartlett adding a 38. Well back of them, Ryan Bova paced the Spartans with a 47, while Joe Pacheco had a 48. Owen White had a 51 and Alex Leo posted 52 as Ryan Walsh contributed a 55.
In that same match where ESM Blue beat Auburn, ESM Orange shot 242, with Donovan Marriott shooting a 44. Bova and Pacheco both finished at 48 as White improved to a 50 and Walsh moved up to a 52.
