Keep an eye on these golfers, teams and matchups when Section III boys golf returns to the course this spring.
West
Teams in the class (2023 record in parenthesis)
Bishop Grimes (4-4), Bishop Ludden (3-0), Cato-Meridian (1-4), Cincinnatus (3-2), DeRuyter (3-0), Fabius-Pompey (3-0), Manlius Pebble Hill (4-4), McGraw (5-3), Port Byron, Pulaski (3-4), Solvay (0-6), Stockbridge (0-2), Weedsport (6-3).
Golfers to watch (best 2023 9-hole score in parenthesis)
Bishop Grimes: Nathan Abernethy (46); Bishop Ludden: Max Boyea (42), Nick Brunger (44), Pil McGarvey (38); Cato-Meridian: Cooper Emond (47), Ayden Mayenzet (48); Cincinnatus: Mason Walker (49), Zack Streichert (46); Fabius-Pompey: Jared Janicki (46), Peter Skeval (40); Manlius Pebble Hill: Dash Goode (43); Pulaski: Collin McGrath (50), Ethan Weigand (50); Solvay: Anthony D’Agostino (36), Josh Komar (40); Weedsport: Braden Wood (34).
Team outlooks
Bishop Grimes: “This year we have a big team. Over 20 kids came out for the team. We have some new golfers. We also have a handful of juniors on the team and we’re just looking for a good, successful season teaching the game to some of the new guys that came out. We’ve had success the past few years having either our team or an individual qualify for sectionals, so we’re looking to do that again. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do that. But we’re looking forward to getting out there and getting nice weather and getting back on the course and having a successful season.” – Peter Capponi, Bishop Grimes
Bishop Ludden: “We are returning most of our team and our goals are to compete for the league and section championship. Bishop Ludden’s coach Kilmartin and coach Kelly are two of the best in the league. Between our players and coaches I am incredibly optimistic and looking forward to a great season.” – Craig Marcinkowski, Bishop Ludden
Cato-Meridian: The Blue Devils return a handful of key golfers from last year’s season, including Cooper Emond, who shot a 48 in Cato-Meridian’s win over Solvay. Cato-Meridian ends its season against Solvay on May 15.
Cincinnatus: The Lions strung together consecutive wins against Madison and McGraw in the middle of last season, thanks to the play of golfers such as Zack Streichert, who shot a 46 against McGraw.
DeRuyter: Owen Davis and Payne Wood each carded sub-40 rounds in the Rockets’ stretch of three-straight wins against Madison, McGraw and Cincinnatus last spring. They’ll face Stockbridge Valley, as well as Cincinnatus and Madison, three times this spring.
Fabius-Pompey: Peter Skeval is set to return for the Falcons this spring after shooting sub-45 in Fabius-Pompey’s wins over Manlius Pebble Hill, Cato-Meridian and Weedsport a year ago.
Manlius Pebble Hill: A handful of sophomores helped the Trojans to four wins last spring, including Dash Goode, Andy Wladis and Carter Zimmerman. Manlius Pebble Hill opens against Weedsport, Cato-Meridian and Altmar-Parish-Williamstown.
Pulaski: Nine sophomores are set to suit up for the Blue Devils this spring. Pulaski downed Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, Cato-Meridian and Solvay a year ago. Pulaski faces Bishop Grimes and Weedsport this season after losing to both teams last year.
Solvay: Coach Patty Bresnahan listed seniors Anthony D’Agostino and Josh Komar as two of Solvay’s key returners this spring. D’Agostino carded a 36 against Bishop Grimes and Komar shot a 40 against Cato-Meridian, Weedsport and Bishop Grimes.
Stockbridge Valley: The Cougars will face DeRuyter, Madison and Cincinnatus three times each this spring, with an opportunity to improve on last season.
Weedsport: Braden Wood returns for Weedsport this season after qualifying for the Section III state qualifier last spring. Weedsport will face a handful of different teams this spring, including Manlius Pebble Hill, Bishop Grimes and Bishop Ludden.
Matchups to watch
Weedsport at Manlius Pebble Hill, April 11: The defending Section III West small school champions host a talented Weedsport team to start the season.
Bishop Ludden at Bishop Grimes, May 6: The Battle of Bishops kicks off the season half of the season. This year’s rendition features two deep teams, excited about what the season will bring.
East
Teams in the class (2023 record in parenthesis)
Camden (1-1-1), Canastota (1-5), Central Valley Academy (3-1), Clinton (4-1), Cooperstown (6-3), Dolgeville (2-4), Hamilton (4-1), Herkimer (0-3), Madison, Mount Markham (0-2), New Hartford (11-1), Oneida (2-1), Oriskany (5-4), Owen D. Young (0-4), Rome Free Academy (3-9), Sherburne-Earlville (6-3), Utica Notre Dame (1-2), Utica Proctor (0-4), Vernon Verona Sherrill (2-1), Waterville (10-0), Westmoreland (1-6), Whitesboro (4-1).
Golfers to watch (best 2023 9-hole score in parenthesis)
Camden: Todd Wilson (41); Central Valley Academy: Casey Metott (40), Luca Olds (39); Cooperstown: Braydon Sentz (38); Hamilton: Will Chouinard (39), Ryan Peters (40); New Hartford: Tommy Goodelle (37), JP Lazzaro (38); Oneida: Sam Beadle (43), Tanner Yager (40); Oriskany: Gavin Howd (33), Matt Matys (43); Owen D. Young: Mason Campbell (44); Rome Free Academy: Landon Piersma (43); Sherburne-Earlville: Balin Olsen (40), Garret Winton (40); Utica Notre Dame: John Legrande (41), Sean Noon (41); Vernon Verona Sherrill: Ethan Killian (38), Dan Knapp (45); Waterville: Logan Baker (44), Connor Stanton (35); Whitesboro: Chris Stilwell (37), Mike Stilwell (36).
Team outlooks
Camden: Todd Wilson qualified for the Section III state qualifier last season after helping the Blue Devils to a win over Rome Free Academy and a tie against Holland Patent. Camden opens against Central Valley Academy, New Hartford and Oneida this spring.
Central Valley Academy: A massive roster returns for the Thunder this spring, highlighted by Casey Metott, Luca Olds, Connor Tutty and Nolan Tutty, who hovered around the 40-mark last year.
Clinton: Clinton earned wins over Oriskany, New York Mills and Westmoreland last year, thanks in part to the play of Mack Schaffer and Dylan Monroe as sophomores.
Cooperstown: Jackson Crisman and Ben Lewis hovered around the 50-mark for the Hawkeyes and Braydon Sentz emerged as an elite talent in their six-win season last year. Cooperstown is set to face the teams they lost to last year, Hamilton and Sherburne-Earlville, twice this year.
Dolgeville: The Blue Devils will face West Canada Valley four times this spring after losing to the Thunder a year ago. Dolgeville will close its season against Remsen, Adirondack and Poland.
Hamilton: The Emerald Knights are poised to have another successful season, returning All-CNY golfer Will Chouinard and rising senior Ryan Peters, both of whom led Hamilton on the links last year as juniors.
Herkimer: The Magicians look to improve this season with a schedule that features Sherburne-Earlville, Mount Markham and Cooperstown twice. Steven Naegele and Zach Rose produced for Herkimer last year as sophomores.
Madison: Madison faces Remsen, Sherburne-Earlville, Cincinnatus and Stockbridge Valley to kick off this spring season. The Trojans will travel to face DeRuyter in mid-May near the end of the year.
Mount Markham: After suffering losses to Sherburne-Earlville and Cooperstown last spring, Mount Markham will face both teams to start this season. Mount Markham will host a talented Hamilton team to end the season.
New Hartford: The defending Section III East large school champions will miss graduated senior Campbell Jenkins, who now plays at Skidmore College. They’ll likely lean on returning All-CNY golfer Tommy Goodelle this spring. Eight New Hartford golfers qualified for the Section III state qualifier last year.
Oneida: Coach Jeff Skibitski tabbed Tanner Yager, Same Beadle and EJ Calianese as three of Oneida’s top returners this year. He said their goal is to qualify for sectional as a team again in a tough TVL league.
Oriskany: “We should have a fairly strong team this year. We are deeper than we’ve been in a few years, and we’ve also picked up some new golfers from Westmoreland. Gavin Howd returns for his senior year, having made it to the second round of the state qualifier at Seven Oaks last year.” – John Bauer, Oriskany
Owen D. Young: The Devils end the season against the two teams they lost to a year ago, providing a prime opportunity to build on last season. Owen D. Young will face Mount Markham, Sherburne-Earlville and Cooperstown twice each this year.
Rome Free Academy: “We have a deeper team this season than past seasons with more players who can compete to be in the top six to play in matches. We are a young, inexperienced team, so it may take a few matches until some players get comfortable playing in them and playing to their ability levels. Our goal is to qualify for sectional play as a team and get a player or two to advance to the state qualifying tournament at Seven Oaks Golf Course.” – Peter Dalton, Rome Free Academy
Sherburne-Earlville: The Marauders return a massive haul of contributors from last year’s six-win season, including Balin Olsen and Garret Winton, who both hovered around the 40-mark a year ago.
Utica Notre Dame: Sean Noon is set to return this season after reaching the Section III state qualifier as a sophomore a year ago. John Legrande also carded a few sub-45 scores for the Jugglers last year. Utica Notre Dame will open against Holland Patent and Whitesboro this spring.
Utica Proctor: The Raiders will face Whitesboro, Central Valley Academy and Rome Free Academy to open the season with an opportunity to improve upon last year’s winless record.
Vernon Verona Sherrill: “A new group of talented first-year juniors and seniors will look to immediately contribute to help VVS make golf sectionals for a ninth straight year.” – Mike Jankiewicz, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill
Waterville: “We’re very excited. We have won three straight league and sectional titles and we’re looking to defend that with the team. We have four out of the six starters returning this year, and we’re excited to get this year going. We’ll have some challenges, but we can overcome those.” – David Poyer, Waterville
Whitesboro: Chris and Mike Stilwell reached the Section III state qualifier last year and are set to return for a deep Whitesboro team this spring.
Matchups to watch
Whitesboro at New Hartford, April 19: The defending large school champions host Whitesboro in a battle between two rosters with plenty of big-match experience.
Waterville at Cooperstown, April 26: Two deeply talented teams will share the course when the defending small school champions travel to face the Hawkeyes.
North
Teams in the class (2023 record in parenthesis)
Adirondack (6-7), Alexandria, Altmar-Parish-Williamstown (0-5), General Brown, Holland Patent (0-6-1), Indian River, LaFargeville, Little Falls (1-0), Lowville, Lyme, Old Forge (1-1), Poland (0-2), Remsen (1-0), Sandy Creek, South Jefferson, South Lewis, Thousand Islands, Watertown, Watertown IHC, West Canada Valley (1-2).
Golfers to watch (best 2023 9-hole score in parenthesis)
Adirondack: Sam Andrews (41); Altmar-Parish Williamstown: Keagan Daniels (54), Isaac Smith (54); Holland Patent: Jacob Olearczyk (34); Old Forge: Robert LaFavour (45); Remsen: Jaden Prosser (48), Brian Secor (37), Ellie Secor (49).
Team outlooks
Adirondack: “Adirondack is welcoming back five out of the six top-performing golfers from the 2023 season, during which the team achieved a 6-7 overall record and a 6-6 standing in league play. Notably, among the anticipated top six golfers for this season, five are underclassmen (only one junior), underscoring the team’s youthful composition. Despite the relative youth of our players, they bring extensive golf experience to the table. The team’s strengths and weaknesses are intricately linked, with the overarching question being whether our young golfers can handle the pressure of competing against more seasoned opponents in match play.” – Nick Palczak, Adirondack
Alexandria: Drew Ferency and Wade Stone reached the Section III state qualifier last season for the Ghosts, which won the Section III North small school title. Alexandria hosts South Lewis to start the year and finishes on the road against Sandy Creek.
Altmar-Parish Williamstown: A young Rebels team has the opportunity to improve from last year’s winless season with scheduled matchups against Bishop Ludden, Manlius Pebble Hill, Cato-Meridian and Bishop Grimes at home this season.
Carthage: The Comets get a four-match homestretch they must take advantage of in April before starting May on the road with four consecutive away matches.
General Brown: The Lions have the opportunity to take advantage of a five-match homestretch from mid-April to the beginning of May, starting against South Lewis and concluding against Alexandria this spring.
Holland Patent: Golden Knights top-returner Jacob Olearczyk consistently shot sub-40, including two rounds of 35 and a 34. Olearczyk qualified for the Section III state qualifier last year and enters as one of the top golfers in the class this spring.
Indian River: An upperclassmen-heavy roster of eight seniors and 12 juniors will start the season on the road at Watertown and Carthage before ending the season on the road against General Brown.
LaFargeville: The Red Knights have a daunting schedule this spring, including multiple meetings with South Jefferson and Alexandria, the class’ two Section III champions a year ago.
Little Falls: The Marauders earned a close win over West Canada Valley early last season. They’ll look to get off to another fast start this season against Poland, Old Forge and Adirondack to start the year.
Lowville: Dalton Myers and Thomas McCue represented Lowville at the Section III state qualifier last season. Lowville will face Watertown IHC, Carthage and Watertown at the end of the season to gear up to send golfers deep into the postseason this spring.
Lyme: Three early road matches at defending small school champion Alexandria, Thousand Islands and South Lewis could decide early how Lyme fares this season in a tough schedule, which also features large school champion South Jefferson on the road.
Old Forge: Robert LaFavour is set to return for the Timberwolves after qualifying for the Section III state qualifier last season as a junior.
Poland: After suffering losses to Dolgeville and Adirondack a year ago, the Tornadoes get multiple shots at redemption this spring, set to face Dolgeville three times and Adirondack twice.
Remsen: “We are looking forward to hopefully our best season yet. We have a lot of returning players who are really into golf. This team is really dedicated to improving and wanting to win the league title.” – Katey Secor, Remsen
Sandy Creek: An early homestretch, followed by five away matches, puts the Comets in a position to start strong this spring and be prepared to face Alexandria on the road to end the year.
South Jefferson: Blake Turner, Liam Hobbs and Shea Spencer reached the Section III state qualifier last year and helped South Jefferson to a large school sectional championship. The title defense begins against Lowville, General Brown, Indian River and Carthage this spring.
South Lewis: The Falcons will play 10 of their final 13 matches at home this season, including a streak against Thousand Islands, Alexandria, Sandy Creek and Carthage.
Thousand Islands: The Vikings, on the other hand, play the heart of their season at home, with six consecutive matches, starting with Alexandria and ending against Watertown at home.
Watertown: “We hope to be competitive in a very good Frontier League A/B division.” – Todd Heckman, Watertown.
Watertown IHC: Before gearing up for any postseason play, the Cavaliers must end their regular season on the road against Lowville and South Jefferson, two teams with a track record for sending golfers deep into the qualifying tournaments.
West Canada Valley: Jayden Smith carded two rounds under 50 and helped West Canada Valley to a win over Dolgeville last year as a sophomore. West Canada Valley will face Dolgeville four times this spring, as well as Remsen, Old Forge, Poland and Adirondack.
Matchups to watch
Lowville at Watertown IHC, April 12: Two teams with a knack for sending golfers into qualifying tournaments look to start strong early in the season.
South Jefferson at Alexandria, May 8: The defending Section III North large school champions travel to face the defending small school champions as both teams gear up for the end of the regular season.
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