Skaneateles boys golfer Tynan Jones was among the first players to finish on a hot Tuesday afternoon at Rogues Roost Golf Club’s West course as the Section III small school fall tournament began to wind down.
What Jones had on his scorecard would make a lot of professionals envious – six birdies, 10 pars and two bogeys, amounting to a four-under-par 67 that no one else would approach.
This made Jones the medalist at the sectional tournament, and it nearly helped Skaneateles win the team title, too, as along with Westhill, it finished one stroke behind Cazenovia, who made for an unlikely sectional champion.
Cazenovia had gone 10-4 in the regular season, a complete turnaround from going 4-10 in 2018. But Skaneateles had just beat them 220-227 four days earlier at Skaneateles Country Club.
At Rogues Roost, a mere two strokes separated the top four sides – Skaneateles, Westhill, Cazenovia and Christian Brothers Academy – meaning that every single tee shot, approach, chip and putt would prove crucial to the final outcome.
For Skaneateles, what ended up the difference was that no other golfer got close to Jones’ total. Shawn Luce shot an 86 and Drew Henderson added an 88. Tyson DiRubbo shot 90 and Will Cowden had a 94, while Reese Dunn finished with 101.
Since the five lowest scores counted toward the team standings, that left Skaneateles with 425, a number that Westhill matched.
The Warriors’ Anthony Maglisco shot 73 to finish second among individuals, six behind Jones. Aidan Ryan and Mike Britt both shot 84, while James Hunt had an 89, but Devin Young could only manage a 95 and Luke Gilmartin finished at 102.
CBA was the other main contender. Joe Nicholson led the Brothers by posting 78, with Jack MacLachlan getting an 84 and Mike Santaro shooting 85. The 88 from Dan Angelo and 91 from Pete Scuderi, one of the last golfers to finish, meant the Brothers would settle for 426, one behind Westhill and Skaneateles.
And somehow, Cazenovia pulled it off, led by Alex Moesch, whose 75 put him third behind Jones and Maglisco. Cody Dickinson was close behind with an 80, while Jack Byrnes and Will Fitzgerald both finished with 89. It took a 91 from Max Beam to put Cazenovia at 424 and earn sectional team honors by that single shot.
Jones and Maglisco led a group that included Ryan, Britt and Luce that all finished in the top 25 percent of the field and advanced to next May’s sectional state qualifier at Seven Oaks.
A day later, when the Salt City Athletic Conference teams gathered at Radisson Greens for its sectional fall tournament, West Genesee nearly repeated its 2018 title.
The Wildcats tied for second with Baldwinsville, each posting 399 ahead of SCAC Metro regular-season champion Fayetteville-Manlius Green (400), but behind Cicero-North Syracuse Blue, who won with 395.
WG featured Kevin McDermott, who led his side with a 77 that put him in a tie for sixth place, five shots behind the individual medalist, Liverpool’s Dylan Husted, who shot an even-par 72.
Dan Benetti, shooting a 78, tied for 10th place, while Peyton Mullane had an 80. Ryan Joyce and Jacob Weaver were close behind as they both posted 82, with Cody Steckel getting an 83 and Ryan McLane shooting 88.
C-NS Blue ultimately won because it had four players – Ryan Sisco (77), Jake Nardozza (78), D.J. Villnave and Sean Lawler (79 each) – break 80, with an 82 by Darin Townsend capping it off.
Since 82 was the cut for the sectional state qualifier, McDermott, Benetti, Mullane, Joyce and Weaver all advanced to Seven Oaks, with Steckel just one shot away from it.
