Even the hint of cooler weather suggests that golf season will soon end, and the boys golf sides from Cazenovia and Chittenango only have one more week of regular-season action before the Oct. 1 Section III fall tournament.
Before that, though, the Bears and Lakers met head-to-head last Friday at Cazenovia Country Club, a rematch of the Aug. 29 battle that Chittenango claimed 231-249 at Rogues Roost.
Amid some of the season’s most difficult playing conditions – namely, a lot of wind – it was the Lakers getting the best of it this time around, prevailing 242-266, even though the Bears’ Tyrus Kelly had the low nine-hole score of 43.
Alex Moesch did not have to lead Cazenovia alone, as his 45 was matched by teammate Cody Dickinson, with Ben Orbach sliding into fourth place by shooting 48.
Thanks to a 51 from Ted Williams and a 52 from Will Fitzgerald, the Lakers held on as, behind Kelly, the next-best Chittenango round was a 50 from Tyler Moscarito. Brad Randall had a 54, with Brendan Fraser adding a 57 and Tanner Smith a 52.
Back on Monday, Cazenovia tried to catch OHSL Liberty National division leader Christian Brothers Academy, but could not do so in a 264-287 defeat at Drumlins.
Moesch, with a 38, matched CBA’s Joe Nicholson for low individual honors, with Dickinson adding a 45 and Fitzgerald a 50, each of them behind the Brothers’ Dan Angelo (40) and Mike Santoro (44).
A day later, Cazenovia faced Westhill at CCC and, foreshadowing the success it would have against Chittenango, edged the Warriors by a single shot, 227-228.
For that, the Lakers could thank Moesch, whose 39 was three shots ahead of Westhill’s Anthony Maglisco for low individual round. Max Beam stepped up with a 44, while Orbach posted a 48.
Trying to follow that up on Wednesday, Cazenovia could not do so, taking a 232-237 defeat to Tully at Vesper Hills.
Moesch finished with a 44, but so did Tully teammates Ryan Shute and Tommy McKenna, while the Black Knights’ Keith VanDyne led all individuals with a 43. Beam contributed a 47 on the Lakers’ side.
Chittenango, meanwhile, met Homer last Monday at Cortland Country Club, the two sides both chasing Mexico in a closely-fought OHSL Liberty American division race. This was part of a three-team match with LaFayette.
The Bears earned a split, shooting 242 that beat the Lancers’ 249, but was behind the Trojans’ 230 as Kelly shot the low individual round of 40 for all three sides.
Homer got a 41 from Mitch Riter and 45s from Bridget Pocaro and David Alger. Smith had a 47 and Randall got a 50, but Andrew Hage (48) and Cooper Withey (41) kept the Trojans in front as Fraser shot 52 and Moscarito posted 53.
Back at Rogues Roost on Wednesday, Chittenango had a three-team match with Skaneateles and Phoenix and beat them both, shooting 237 to edge the Lakers (239) and easily top the Firebirds’ total of 287.
Kelly had a 41, beating out the low rounds by Skaneateles shot by Ben Spinelli (42) and Ty Jones (43). Randall and Moscarito both shot 46, the same as Phoenix’s Josh VanGorder. Maddox Garvey shot a 51 and Fraser finished with a 57.
Even with that win over Chittenango, Cazenovia only improved to 3-8, with three matches left in the regular season this week against Skaneateles, Tully and LaFayette. The Bears, still at 7-5-1, also meet Tully this week after matches with Westhill and Mexico.
