Section V grabs top five finishes in both boys and girls golf at state meet

Victor's Jack Berl and Our Lady of Mercy's Julia Zigrossi proved to be two of New York state's best golfers.

Not only did Berl and Zigrossi both finish fourth overall in their respective New York State Public High School Athletic Association Golf Championship tournaments, each Section V golfer had strong back nine scores during Monday's finals.

Berl shot a 73 on Monday. He shot a 35 on the back nine, using an eagle and four birdies to finish the boys tournament at an even par 144. The Victor senior was two strokes behind the runner-up and trailed the medalist by six.

"I was in the zone. Everything was working for me," Berl said.

Zigrossi shot a 33 on the back nine of the girls final round. The Mercy junior finished the day with a 73, shooting 7-over-par 151. She was one stroke behind third, trailed the runner-up by three. The medalist was seven shots ahead of Zigrossi, whose 78 in the first round may have cost her a title shot.

"She absolutely could've have won it," Mercy coach Julia Odenbach said.

What it means

Section V had quite the showing at the first state golf tournament since COVID.

The section's boys and girls teams each placed in the top three with a handful of golfers earning all-state honors.

Section V boys golfers

Section V shot a tournament low final round score to finish second at the Mark Twain Golf Course in Elmira.

Led by Berl, last year's All-Greater Rochester Golfer of the Year, the Rochester-area team shot 531 on Monday to finish the tourney at 1,054.

Fellow Victor Blue Devil Brody Burgess was one of the section's five golfers to make all-state, given to the top-20 scores. Burgess, the Section V Class AA champion, shot 147 for eighth overall. Pittsford Sutherland's Owen Corby (148) was one stroke behind. Hilton's Tyler Stark (150) placed 16th, and Pittsford Mendon's Matt Carpentier (152) tied for 20th.

Section VIII (1,037) won the team championship. They were led by Thomas Finn of Locust Valley, the individual medalist who shot 6-under-par 138.

"We knew we could get to second," Berl said. "To be able to get a medal for our section is pretty cool."

Section V girls golfers

Section V placed third at 1,182 at the McGregor Links Country Club in Wilton.

Zigrossi joined Mercy sophomore Sophia Cellura and Fairport eighth-grader Harper Dittman on the all-state team. Cellura's 161 tied for 11th. Dittman was three strokes behind at 164 in a tie for 14th.

Mercy placed fifth as a team thanks to Zigrossi, Cellura, Riley Stuver (184) and Marisa Eichas (193).

The Albany Academies' Kennedy Swedick's even par won her the girls individual state championship. Section I (1,102) captured the team title.

"It was so nice to see girls from different schools bonding with each other," Odenbach said.

Key moments

Berl and Zigrossi each had memorable back nine performances for their fourth-place finishes.

Jack Berl's 'crazy' finish

Berl was close to finishing runner-up.

The reigning All-Greater Rochester Golfer of the Year's birdied the first hole on the final 18. He then eagled with a 10-foot putt at 12. His total was 3-under-par at one point. But Berl's quadruple bogey on the 18th hole set him back.

Berl laughed about the blunder. After all, his 71-73 144 was an all-state worthy outing. Being chosen as the sportsmanship award winner was icing on the cake.

"It was a crazy round, crazy way to end my high school career, but I'll take a top four finish at states any day of the week," Berl said.

After back-to-back unbeaten, section championship seasons with the Blue Devils, Berl is happy with his high school golf career. He thanked everyone from Section V, especially Victor coach Trevor Sousa for his mentorship on and off the course.

"The way me and my four seniors went out was picture perfect. We knew we had a good shot at winning sectionals. To do it the way we did was pretty special," said Berl, who plans to walk on at High Point University.

Julie Zigrossi, the role model

Zigrossi birdied three times on the final nine.

The two-time AGR Golfer of the Year actually birdied four times over the final 18. She had an eagle putt lip out during that stretch.

Zigrossi's putts were difficult to sink when she shot 6-over-par 78 Sunday. They began dropping Monday and Zigrossi moved from 14th place to fourth overall in a matter of moments.

"It was great to see her turn it around. It wasn't easy putting," Odenbach said.

The Section V golfers looked up to Zigrossi all weekend. Verbally committed to golf Division I at James Madison University, could there be a better role model than Zigrossi?

"She's probably one of the best golfers to ever come through Section V," Odenbach said.

Odenbach was also proud of Sophia Cellura's "phenomenal" first day score of 78, and how well Marisa Eichas settled in Monday after a nerve-racking start. Harper Dittman, another up-and-comer, made an eagle on the par-3 12th hole.

Unsung Heroes

Caitlin Keenan of Victor competed in two state tournaments over the weekend.

Keenan missed Saturday's practice round of golf for the lacrosse NYSPHSAA Class B quarterfinals. She shot a "phenomenal" 85-88 173 and tied for 33rd when upon arriving to the golf tourney without any practice, earning the sportsmanship award for her dedication.

"She's just an athlete and a lovely young lady," Odenbach said.

For Section V's girls and boys teams to both medal, they needed well-rounded rosters.

Aquinas' Emily Ferguson (174), Webster's Mackensie Daniel (174) and Victor's Kiera Lalley (187) rounded out the girls' third-place squad. Mercy's Gianna Cicione Rush-Henrietta's Emma Sweazy were alternates.

The boys' second-place team included Fairport's Connor Kiel (155), Churchville-Chili eighth-grader Jason Starkweather (157) and Victor's Carson French (164). Waterloo's John Siblosky shot an 81 Sunday but an injury forced him to withdraw Monday. The alternates were Webster Thomas' Ryan Makowski and Addison's Ryan Thompson.

Email Marquel Slaughter at mslaughter1@gannett.com and follow his Twitter @MarquelSports. Sign up for our high school sports newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: NY state golf tournament: Jack Berl, Julia Zigrossi place fourth