The St. Thomas More Knights won a third-consecutive Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic boys' team golf championship Monday (Sept 29).
However, the Knights won't be advancing to the next round -- the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference tournament.
That's because Colton Cheeseman and Grady Aussem of the Knights aren't available to play Oct. 7 at Piper's Heath Golf Club in Milton. Aussem had a cast placed on his broken wrist last week (from baseball) and Cheeseman has a conflicting Golf Ontario tournament to attend.
Their absence means More doesn't have the necessary four players for GHAC who took part in any of the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic high school tour competitions.
So, instead of the Knights, the second-place Bishop Ryan Celtics will advance to regionals against Halton's best high school golfers. BR's boys team is comprised of Jett Metaxas, Michael Alford, Dario Vlasic, Max Campbell and Cam Schweitzen.
In the individual category, Marco DiFrancesco of More and Jack Paiano of the St. Mary Crusaders have punched their tickets for GHAC.
Paiano fired a four-over-par 76 and DiFrancesco shot 77 on the final tour stop at King's Forest to earn the high school and open berths available.
"It feels good," DiFrancesco said of his qualification. (Piper's Heath) is a tough course. It has beat me up the last two years. I know what I have to do now. I'm in a better spot mentally."
The Grade 11 student was disappointed, however, that none of his teammates will be teeing it up with him.
"You definitely should be able to call up an AP (alternate player) or something," he said. "It's a tough break. Obviously I want to go to OFSAA with the team (the Ontario championship later this month). That's the dream. We won city's and went to GHAC the last two years but haven't been able to get it done. It sucks that another year has gone by and we've only got one year left."
Cheeseman, also in Grade 11, had another outstanding season on the high school tour. He won all four tour stops for the second consecutive year and narrowly missed shooting sub-par rounds each time this season.
His score Monday was 1-over-par 73 on the 6,517-yard King's Forest layout.
"It would have been nice to do," Cheeseman said of his par-busting attempts three times at Chedoke's Martin and Beddoe courses and once at King's Forest.
"I was under par through 10 holes today," he said. "And I was even par coming up 18, but I bogeyed it."
Next week Cheeseman is one of the top 30 players in the province who are eligible to attend the Golf Ontario Super Camp at the Black Bear course in Belleville.
Cheeseman said it would have been ideal if the high school and Golf Ontario events were scheduled on different days.
Cheeseman qualified as an individual last year when OFSAA was held in Timmins.
"My game is coming along," he said. "I'm working on how to drive the ball better."
The Bishop Ryan girls' team of Madi Rilett, Jada Perger, Emily Haldenby, Sierra Kowalyshyn and Ariana Cannon have also qualified for GHAC competition.
"Our teams are very excited about the opportunity," Celtics coach and league golf convenor Giuseppe Pontillo said.
"Jett led the way. But it's been a solid team effort."
Metaxas captured the King's Forest junior club championship with a 69 last month. He was runner-up to Cheeseman at the first three HWCDSB tour stops this season and has previous OFSAA golf experience.
In addition to Paiano, St. Mary will be represented at GHAC by Kay Lynn Hoo. A Grade 9 student, she shot the girls' low score for the final day (1-under 71).
Other players on the More boys' team this season included Marshall Schwoob and Liam Ryerson.
See photos on HWCDSB Athletics page
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