ONONDAGA COUNTY – Even as the Cicero-North Syracuse Blue boys golf team lost Sept. 13 to Fayetteville-Manlius Green, it took encouragement from the close nature of that 195-199 defeat against the first-place Hornets.
So when the Northstars returned to Arrowhead last Monday and faced another undefeated side, West Genesee Gold, it would again play well in a tight match – and this time win, 194-197, over the Wildcats.
The difference came at the top, with C-NS Blue getting a 36 from Cooper Stimson and 38s from Drew Kippen and Quinn Empey to match the low WG Gold round from Frank Barbuto.
Riley McAloon and Parker Berg both shot 39 to make up some ground for the Wildcats as Andrew Banish had a 40 and Topher Shoults a 41, but the Northstars held on with David Schmidt shooting 40 and Nate Bustin adding a 42.
Then C-NS Blue met Liverpool Tuesday afternoon at Foxfire, with the Northstars rolling to a 182-203 victory helped mostly by Kippen’s exceptional round as he shot four-under-par 32.
Schmidt stepped up, too, equaling Stimson by posting 37. Empey and Noah Raymond both added 38s to beat the 40s from Liverpool teammates Alex Kirkby and Logan Reissig as Jake Berthoff, Rocco Alempi and Tom Neave all finished at 41.
A rematch with WG Gold on Wednesday at Pine Grove turned around the results of the first meeting, the Wildcats getting the best of the Northstars 184-201.
No one could get close to WG Blue’s Jon Shoults, whose 33 was four head of Kippen’s 37 equaled by Banish. Three other Wildcats – Barbuto, Topher Shoults and Brayden Carvel – posted 38 ahead of 40s from Clarke and Stimson. Schmidt and Empey both shot 42.
This busy stretch concluded Thursday at Woodcrest with C-NS Blue getting the best of F-M’s younger White squad 191-199.
Steady play was needed since all five Hornets shot 39 or 40. Clarke’s 37 led the individual race, Kippen and Schmidt each getting 38 as Raymond and Stimson needed 39s to help the Northstars hang on.
C-NS Green met West Genesee Blue last Monday and lost, 199-228, to to that other group of Wildcats, the Northstars seeing Riley Petzoldt shoot 41 behind a 37 from Finley Ball and 38 from Matt Stemkoski.
Carson Berg and Max Buranich both added 41s on their own and Crewe Worden got a 42 to lead WG Blue, while Evan Jones had a 45 in front of Carter Reynolds (46), Cooper Pallotta (47) and Joe Cassel (49).
A day later, it was C-NS Green beating Syracuse City 232-254, despite a leading 37 by Syracuse’s Andrew Towsley. Tyler Belknap, with a 43, led the Northstars, with Cooper Pallotta and Zane Zubryzscki each posting 45. Andrew Dolson added a 47 and Brian Saloski a 48 ahead of 49s by Petzoldt and Jones.
Yet another match on Wednesday had C-NS Green taking its turn against F-M White. The Northstars lost 200-221, Nick Cimino’s 41 matched by two Hornets and topped by a 37 from Jaiden Dardaris and 40 from Nico Capriotti. Jones shot 42 and Petzoldt had a 43 ahead of a 46 from Saloski as Reynolds posted 49.
In Thursday’s 181-221 loss to West Genesee Gold, five Wildcats shot 38 or lower, with Barbuto posting 35. Reynolds’ 41 led the Northstars, Petzoldt adding a 42 and Dolson (45) in front of Cimino (46) and Jones (47).
This happened as Liverpool lost to WG Blue 190-195 in a close match at Pine Grove. Michaud’s 37 only trailed a 34 from the Wildcats’ Matt Stemkoski, with Kirkby, Berthoff and Calen Brown all finishing at 49.
