Boys golf

Bulldogs top Bears for Division IV title repeat

Armstrong and Rhodes lead Sullivan West to championship crown

By RICHARD A. ROSS

CALLICOON, NY — The boys’ golf season in Division IV came down to the season finale match between reigning champion Sullivan West and talented Tri-Valley. Taking to the greens at the Villa Roma Country Club on May 31, both teams were psyched to add a banner to the already cluttered walls in their school gyms.

With the graduation of top golfers Sean Semenetz and Joe Winski last June, perhaps few thought the Bulldogs could rebound with its young 2006 team.

Needless to say, someone forgot to tell Justin Armstrong and teammate Kenny Rhodes, who have come to embrace the course at the Villa Roma with a sense of great familiarity. Armstrong shot a three-over-par 38 to propel the Bulldogs to the OCIAA Division IV title. Rhodes was one stroke behind him with a 39. Kevin Correa shot a 40, Artie Norden added a 44, and Bryan Schmidt rounded out the team with a 49.

For Tri-Valley, leading golfer and former state competitor John Singh had the day’s best score with one-over-par 36. Dave McDonald equaled Singh’s performance, but Tri-Valley’s other three golfers couldn’t match the precision of the team’s top two. Sam Russell shot a 46, John Bernstein recorded a 48, and Dan Bertholf shot a 53.

Sullivan West ended its season with a 15-5 record and went 11-1 in the division. They had previously lost to Tri-Valley for their only loss. The Bears lost control of their fortune when they fell to The Family School late in the season. Tri-Valley finished up at 11-6 (10-2 OCIAA).