No one in the regular season – and no one in the post-season, either- would catch up to the Marcellus golf teams as both of them claimed Section III team titles early last week.
When Section III’s boys spring golfers gathered last Monday at the Pompey Club for the West Area tournament, Shawn Colella led the way as the Mustangs easily captured the large-school team title.
Colella shot an even-par 72, beating everybody except Manlius-Pebble Hill’s freshman sensation, Johnny Gruninger, who prevailed by shooting a 70.
Right behind them, Marcellus had Carter Austin and David Bosak tie for sixth place with 83, while Patrick Morocco took 11th place with an 85 and Lee Piekel shared 12th place with an 86.
So the quintet of Colella, Austin, Bosak, Morroco and Piekiel all advanced to the sectional state qualifier at Colgate University’s Seven Oaks course later this week.
A day later, the Marcellus girls golfers, regular-season and tournament champions in the Onondaga High School League, would claim the sectional Division II (small school) crown at a rain-soaked Kanon Valley Country Club in Oneida.
The team competition was tight, but the Mustangs, shooting 430, held off Skaneateles (434) for the top spot, while Mary Colella earned a trip to Long Island’s Bethpage State Park for this weekend’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association tournament.
By shooting an 88 in the soggy conditions, Colella finished alone in eighth place, and the top 10 golfers advanced, but Colella’s teammates would also need to come through to keep Skaneateles from catching them, especially with the Lakers having six golfers in the tournament to the Mustangs’ four.
Elise LaBombard shot a 107, with Kendall Koloski posting 116 and Grace Alexander adding 119. That was enough as Skaneateles was led by Karah Blair and Addison Gremli, who both shot 104 ahead of Jenna Fields (107) and Jill Barker (119).
Westhill finished fifth in the team standings with 481. Angela Vigliotti shot a 107, tying with LaBombard for 39th place, while Catherine Dadey had a 116, one shot ahead of Madeleine Jones. Katie Vaughan shot a 141.
Also, West Genesee had two golfers in the sectional tournament, and Mikaela Riley had a strong showing, finishing 21st with a score of 98. Hannah Kirk took 48th place with a 114.
Auburn’s Lindsay May, a three-time state champion, again won the individual sectional title with a superb 70, eight shots ahead of Vernon-Verona-Sherrill’s Mary Evans.
May, Evans and Mary Colella are joined on the Section III squad for the state tournament by four golfers from Division I champion Fayetteville-Manlius – Maggie Bonomo, Bailey Wallace, Paige Freyer and Grace Perry – along with Liverpool’s sister duo of Nataly and Mia Avotins and Camden’s Danielle Caringi.
