CENTRAL NEW YORK – Going into September, boys golf teams at Skaneateles and Marcellus were both in fine form, waiting for a first-ever fall showdown between these neighbors and rivals.
The Lakers made it 3-0 with a 193-282 rout over McGraw back on Aug. 31 at Knickerbocker Country Club in Cincinnatus.
Three players – Jack Marquardt, Drew Mancini and Charlie Girzadas – each shot 38 for nine holes. Will Murphy, with a 39, and James Lovier, with a 40, provided further depth as Finlay Coyne contributed a 42.
Then, in last Tuesday’s 201-228 win over Tully at Vesper Hills, Mancini finished on top, his 37 ahead of Marquardt’s 39. Coyne shot 40 to take third and Graham Bradley’s 42 completed a top-four sweep, Girzadas adding a 43.
Finally, the Lakers were set to return home to Skaneateles Country Club for its home opener Thursday against LaFayette, but rain and thunderstorms postponed that match along with all other local contests.
Marcellus moved to 3-0 on Aug. 31 when it defeated Chittenango 248-273. Both teams struggled, but the Mustangs did enough as Will Glass shot 44, with 50s contributed by Dieter Stiegerwald and Ben Reome. John Williams and Chris Loveless both posted 52.
Only when the Mustangs took on first-place Christian Brothers Academy did it get halted, Marcellus taking a 196-227 defeat to the Brothers last Wednesday at Drumlins.
Williams shot a 41, one ahead of Glass (42), but no other Mustangs player improved on Reome’s 46 as CBA swept the top three with Rowen Lynch (36), Luke Snyder (38) and Jack Gregory (39).
Still unbeaten against SCAC Metro division foes, West Genesee Gold made it 3-0 on Aug. 31 with an impressive 200-210 victory over Liverpool.
Jason Clifton’s 39 at Westvale equaled the Warriors’ Owen Salanger, but the Wildcats got away thanks to a 40 from Jameson Bard and 41s from Jack Einlich and Parker Berg.
A day later, in a 189-215 victory over Fayetteville-Manlius White in its first road match of the season at Woodcrest, Ben Glass went under par with a 35, leading a top-five sweep. Jon Shoults had a 37, ahead of Frank Barbuto’s 38 as Clifton again shot 39 and Einlich got a 40.
The Wildcats took first place in the SCAC Metro division Friday when it defeated Cicero-North Syracuse Green 186-241. Glass shot a 35, edging Ashton Fassinger’s 36 at the top of the standings as Berg got a 37, with Clifton and Bard each finishing at 39.
West Genesee Blue won again on Aug. 31, topping F-M White 199-204 at Westvale. Lincoln Christopher’s 36 was the top individual total by three over Topher Shoults and the Hornets’ Grant Rhyde. Still, a 40 from Henry Steitz and a 43 from Alex Cammarata was needed to help the Wildcats hang on.
Yet the Wildcats could not upend Baldwinsville’s 22-match win streak. In a 188-200 defeat last Wednesday at Timber Banks, Colin Straub and Andrew Banish both shot 39, but the Bees’ trio of Owen Frechette, Alex Roziok and Alex Trasher equaled those rounds while Aiden Motala shot 34 and Alex Blum a 37. Shoults finished with a 41.
On Friday, as B’ville Red’s win streak was ended by F-M Green, WG Blue defeated B’ville’s younger White team 224-242, Jonathan Lape leading all individuals with a 40 as Straub shot 45 and 46s were posted by Banish and Shoults.
Jordan-Elbridge took a 234-241 defeat to LaFayette on Aug. 31 at Millbrook. Emerson Derby’s 40 beat the Lancers’ Joe Coletti (41) for individual honors, with Caden Hearn and David Lawless each shooting 48 as Jeff Stevens had a 51 and Noah Spilberg a 54.
