Area high school boys golf teams took major steps toward a trio of regular-season league titles throughout last week as the warm persisted until the first day of autumn.
Two big matches would determine if Fayetteville-Manlius would climb to first place in the Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division, starting last Monday as the Hornets turned back West Genesee 190-201.
It was the second time in less than a week that F-M had prevailed over the Wildcats, having done so 189-194 on Sept. 12. Just five days later, they reunited at Woodcrest, where Velton Perry shot a 36 for nine holes.
Not far behind Perry, Matt LaCombe produced a 37, while Mike Millimaci shot a 38. Adam Butch shot 39 and Jordan Krouse stepped up, too, posting a 40.
Just as important was F-M’s battle with Cicero-North Syracuse Blue on Thursday. Having beat the Northstars 186-192 at home on Aug. 23, the Hornets now went to Northern Pines, but could not get this sweep as it lost a slim 199-203 decision.
Butch put up a 38, but C-NS Blue got a 37 from a Jake Nardozza and a 38 from Andrew Brunozzi to go in front as Perry was fourth, shooting a 39.
To hang on, the Northstars had Pat Cuddy and Ryan Sisco each shoot 40 and Brian Pellegrino earn a 44, while the Hornets had LaCombe and Andrew Heyman both shoot 41 and Seth Bailey add a 44.
In between those matches, F-M defeated Liverpool 191-214 last Tuesday. Butch shot 35 at Liverpool Country Club, two shots ahead of the 37 from the Warriors’ Spencer Baum. Millimaci had a 37 and Perry a 38, with LaCombe getting a 40 and Arthur contributing a 41.
All of this left F-M at 7-2, tied with Baldwinsville for second place as C-NS Blue led at 8-2 going into the final week of the regular season, where the Hornets’ league title hopes likely hinged on defeating B’ville Tuesday at Timber Banks
Perhaps the decisive match in the SCAC Empire division pitted first-place Jamesville-DeWitt against second-place East Syracuse Minoa Blue and it would go 207-228 in the Red Rams’ favor.
On its home course at Drumlins, J-D got three totals of 39 from Punn Chittaralert, Peter Hatton and Tanner Burns, each of them topping the 42 from the Spartans’ David Griffith. Joe Pacheco had a 44 and Nate Powell shot 45 as, for ESM Orange (who shot 257), Braedon Smith and Alex Leo both shot 46.
J-D was back on the course Thursday, at Oswego, where it beat the Buccaneers 205-215. Hatton had a 35 at Oswego Country Club to take the individual title.
Oswego got a 38 from Cole Cullnan and a 39 from Ryan Bartlett, but the Rams had the next five best rounds. Chittaralert shot 40, with Jake Ellithorpe getting a 41, Max Schulman a 44 and Burns a 45 ahead of Turner Pomeroy’s 49.
Then, in Friday’s match with Fulton, the Red Rams rolled past the Red Raiders 204-249, Chittaralert’s 36 quite impressive in the winds at Drumlins. Tyler Brang earned a 40, with Logan Wing getting a 41 and Hatton a 42 as Julian Galletta and Bryan Fennell each shot 46.
Christian Brothers Academy continued to build its OHSL Liberty National division lead, starting with last Monday’s hard-fought 264-287 win over Cazenovia at Drumlins.
Individually, Joe Nicholson’s 38 was equaled by the Lakers’ Alex Moesch. But Dan Angelo was third with a 40 and Mike Santoro added a 44 ahead of the 45 by Cazenovia’s Cody Dickinson, and no other Laker broke 50.
A day later, the Brothers handled Phoenix 209-292 to go to 10-1 on the season. This time it was Santoro getting the low round, his 38 three shots ahead of Nicholson, who with a 41 beat out Angelo (42) for second place.
At Orchard Valley on Wednesday, CBA held off LaFayette 215-231, using its depth to negate the low round of 37 from the Lancers’ Thomas Long.
Peter Scuderi had one of his best rounds of the season, posting a 41 to beat out Nicholson and Santoro, who each shot 42. Angelo’s 43 beat LaFayette’s Branden Pope (45) and Corey Hart (47).
When CBA beat Tully 224-239 Friday, Angelo fought the winds to shoot a 39, beating the Black Knights’ Ryan Shute (41) for the top spot. Then Nicholson posted 44 as Bailey Taffner joined Santoro in recording a 46, with James Stanton (49) just ahead of Harry McLain’s total of 50.
