Union-Endicott senior Dante Bertoni is seeking back-to-back state titles as Elmira’s Mark Twain Golf Course hosts the New York State Public High School Athletic Association boys golf championship tournament Sunday and Monday.
Bertoni won last year’s title with a playoff birdie on the 18th hole after finishing tied atop the leaderboard through 36 holes with Victor’s Brody Burgess. Both ended up at 2-over-par 146.
First tee time is 9 a.m. Sunday. Monday’s final round begins at 7:30 a.m. The field includes 99 players.
Bertoni will begin his opening round at 9:16 a.m. on the first tee. Burgess gets going at at 9:40 on hole No. 1.
The Donald Ross-designed Mark Twain Golf Course is in the final year of a three-year commitment to host the state tournament. The course was originally to host in 2020, but the tournament was canceled that year and again in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bertoni had rounds of 71 and 74 to lead the field at the Section 4 state qualifier May 18 at Mark Twain. Maine-Endwell’s Blaise Brixner was second at 152 (80-72) and Greene’s Parker Flanagan third at 153 (81-72).
Those three will be joined by six other state qualifiers from the section: Jacob Staats of Horseheads, Nico Potenza of Trumansburg, Brady Magliocca of Elmira, Luke Parker of Union Springs, Evan Sickler of Tioga Central and Michael Culver of Union Springs.
Bertoni voted Athlete of the Week
Bertoni was voted the final Athlete of the Week for the 2023-24 school year, receiving 40.7% of the votes for competition of May 12 to 18.
Nominees were picked from the coverage areas of the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, Elmira Star-Gazette, Ithaca Journal and Corning Leader.
More: Sprinters who doubled up among top performers in Section 4 Track & Field State Qualifier
Quotable
Tom Gladd, boys golf state coordinator, praised Mark Twain in a press release from the NYSPHSAA.
“Mark Twain has been an outstanding course for us the last two years and we’re looking to have another great year,” he said. “We’re grateful for the staff at Mark Twain and the NYSPHSAA state committee, who put in a great deal of time to make this a great event. The competition each year continues to get better and better and I’m sure it won’t disappoint this year.”
Admission
The tournament is open to the public at no charge.
Sunday Tee Times
9 a.m.: Owen Jessop (Westhampton Beach), Ryan Jones (Canton), Josh Yan (Newburgh).
*9:04: Nico Potenza (Trumansburg), Will Chouinard (Hamilton), Tanner LaTorre (Ichabod Crane)
9:08: Joseph Dolezal (Wheatley), Nick Palmer (Peru), Evan Steffen (Maple Grove).
*9:12: Mike Torre (Byram Hills), A.J. Dahlk (Harborfields), Ethan Bouchard (Ogdensburg).
9:16: Joshua Bradley (Greece Athena), Dante Bertoni (Union-Endicott), Jackson Saroney (Jamesville-DeWitt).
*9:20: Mark Yan (Newburgh), Charles Nevin (Friends Academy), Liam Clark (Peru).
9:24: Kieran Cummins (Shaker), Leo Chu (Scarsdale), Colby Baran (Riverhead).
*9:28: Landon Arnold (Orchard Park), Zach Jerome (Fairport), Brady Magliocca (Elmira).
9:32: Colin Patterson (Massena), Ike Rothman (Franklin D. Roosevelt), Alex Gore (Manhasset).
*9:36: Mike Stilwell (Whitesboro), Timmy Esmay (Guilderland), Joe Carey (Yorktown).
9:40: Porter Goodman (Ausable Valley), Garrett Senfield (Orchard Park), Brody Burgess (Victor).
*9:44: Thomas Trotta (Sayville), Matthew Daniels (Clifton-Fine), Quinn Boudreau (Warwick Valley).
9:48: Blaise Brixner (Maine-Endwell), Chris Stilwell (Whitesboro), Brayden Dock (Glens Falls).
*9:52: Akash Agarwal (Friends Academy), Patrick Clark (Peru), David Brooks (Clarence).
9:56: Henry Hurvitz (Harrison), Harry Wolk (Half Hollow Hills), Ashton Clark (Tupper Lake).
*10: Connor Kiel (Fairport), Luke Parker (Union Springs), Dan Young (Westhill).
10:04: Loyal Goodermote (New Paltz, Jack Estrella (Friends Academy), Cooper Sweeney (Peru).
*10:08: Sean Roddy (Guilderland), Tommy Mangan (Harrison), Liam Blackmore (Southampton).
10:12: Enzo Clerici (Orchard Park), Matt Carpentier (Pittsford Mendon), Parker Flanagan (Greene).
*10:16: Raine Rumble (Gouverneur), David Hoagland (Middletown), Phil Connolly (Garden City).
10:20: Tommy Goodelle (New Hartford), Jeffrey Fumarola (Ballston Spa), Ken Ferandes (Horace Greeley).
*10:24: Carver Bell (Lake Placid), Ben Northman (Clarence), Danny Wehle (McQuaid).
10:28: Zach Berger (Westhampton Beach), Ian VanWagner (Potsdam), Ty Monroe (Saugerties).
*10:32: Evan Sickler (Tioga), Louis Roman (Oswego), Charlie Greiner (Saratoga Springs).
10:36: Bryan Zhao (Jericho), Silas Reeder (Moriah), Tyler Delisanti (Williamsville East).
*10:40: Kevin Wang (Eastchester), Jaxon Caruso (Mount Sinai), Carter Johnson (Salmon River).
10:44: Ethan Domajnko (Victor), Jacob Staats (Horseheads), Mitchell Archer (Jamesville-DeWitt).
*10:48: Chris Rickard (Minisink Valley), Dylan Tong (Syosset), Braden Liberi (Boquet Valley).
10:52: Avi Meyers (Shenendehowa), Eddie Molloy (Rye), Kaiden Capurso (Bayport-Blue Point).
*10:56: Robert Kozlowski (Dunkirk), Alex Hill (McQuaid), Michael Culver (Union Springs).
11: Kahontiio Lazore (Salmon River), Will Martin (Beacon), Evan Fulgieri (Manhasset).
*11:04: Brayden Sentz (Cooperstown), Carter Sica (Saratoga Springs), Vinny Michello (Clarkstown South).
11:08: Kevin Castine (Northeastern Clinton), Adam Cichowski (Iroquois), Sam Eichas (Spencerport).
*Denotes starting on back nine.