SYRACUSE – What was a close race among area large-school boys golf teams turned into a tight battle at the top when they all gathered at Drumlins Country Club for Wednesday’s Section III Class AA fall tournament.

Cicero-North Syracuse Blue contended all the way to the final shots, finishing at 403, just behind the 398 that Fayetteville-Manlius Green earned to win the team title as Baldwinsville was second with 400.

Individually, the Northstars’ Jake Nardozza shot a 75 for 18 holes that beat everyone except F-M Green’s Velton Perry, whose 72 put him in first place.

Sean Lawler, shooting a 79, tied B’ville’s Trey Ordway and F-M Green’s Luke Weisiger for fourth place, but those were the Northstars’ only top-10 finishers.

Sam Thompson, Riley Rumble, Carter Costello and Drew Kippen all finished at 83, just inside the cut line that allowed them to join Nardozza and Rumble in advancing to May’s sectional state qualifier at Seven Oaks.

Jack Wolanski was just behind this group, shooting an 85, while Cullen Scott managed an 89. Devin Kellogg picked up a 91 and Kaden Hacker finished with a 93.

Meanwhile, Liverpool posted a team score of 443 to take fifth place, seeing Kyle Kirkby and Bradley Cole both shoot 87 to tie for 26th place. Owen Michaud posted an 88, with Dominick Osbeck adding an 89 as Owen Salanger managed a 92 and Brady Michaud had a 97.

Earlier in the week, Liverpool had earned a 198-205 victory over West Genesee Blue at Foxfire, helped by a top-three individual sweep.

Kyle Kirkby and Dominick Osbeck both shot 38, with Owen Michaud adding 39 ahead of the 40 from the Wildcats’ Max DeMass. Then Brady Michaud posted a 41 to equal three WG players and Alex Kirkby clinched it with a 42.

That same day, C-NS Green lost 189-224 to Baldwinsville at Northern Pines. Joe DeGroat shot a 42, with Declan Sullivan and Mike DeGroat each posting 43. Brandon Marchitto (46) and Ethan Matthews (48) trailed as Aidan Farmer and Nate MacGregor both shot two-under-par 36 for the Bees.