First place in the Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division was at stake twice last week for the Cicero-North Syracuse Blue boys golf team, and it would split those matches, each of them decided by a single stroke.
To start with, the Northstars and Fayetteville-Manlius Green, met at the Cavalry Club, and the Northstars pulled it out 204-205, taking what it thought was a giant step toward a league title in its only head-to-head match with the Hornets.
Austin Alberici led all individuals with a 38 for nine holes, but the fact that three F-M players – Matt LaCombe, Andrew Heyman and Jack Antshel – each posted 39 meant that C-NS Blue had to rally.
Jake Nardozza’s 40 led the comeback, with Sean Lawler and D.J. Villnave each posting 41. But it took a 44 from Sam Thompson and a 45 from Brody Kennedy to overcome a 42 from the Hornets’ Tobey Schulman and a 46 from Alex Duggleby.
When the same situation presented itself Thursday against Baldwinsville at Lakeshore Country Club, C-NS Blue found itself on the other end of a one-stroke defeat, falling to the Bees by the exact same score of 204-205.
They exactly matched each other through most of the final standings. Darin Townsend’s 39 was matched by Billy Guild, while Thompson shot 42, but so did Trey Ordway.
At 43, Villnave and Devon Kellogg were equaled by Will Shipman and Nate McGregor, so the difference-maker was at the top, where Nardozza’s 38 was slightly bettered by the 37 from B’ville’s Aidan Farmer.
Meanwhile, C-NS Green earned its first win of the season at the expense of rival Liverpool as this other group of Northstars won 191-209 at Northern Pines.
Drew Kippen went under par with a 34, well clear of the 38 from Alex Culver. Cullen Scott finished with a 39 as Riley Rumble and Jack Wolanski both shot 40.
For the Warriors, three golfers – Joe Sacco, Kyle Kirkby and Bradley Cole – had matching totals of 40, followed by Kaeden Hacker’s 44 and Dante Cassella’s 45.
Then Liverpool got into the win column a day later against F-M’s White team, claiming a 213-220 decision in its first-ever home match at Foxfire.
Cole’s 41 tied the Hornets’ August Larson and George LaCombe for first among individuals, but it was Hacker and Sacco each shooting 42 and Kirkby getting a 43 that placed the Warriors in front. Cassella then clinched the win with a 45.
As for C-NS Green, it lost 203-210 to F-M’s White team Thursday at Woodcrest. Kippen, Scott and Jack Wolanski each shot 43, with Culver getting a 44, but the Hornets swept the top four, led by Isaac Frechette (38) and August Larson (39).
Liverpool and West Genesee Blue tied 217-217 on Friday at Westvale, with Hacker first among individuals thanks to his 40 and Sacco getting a 41. Cole shot 43, with Cassella (46) just ahead of Brandon Davis, who had a 47.
