For one night only, Buffalo renounced the title of hockey town, thanks to two of its young golf talents. Maren Cipolla of Buffalo and Ben Reichert of East Amherst played inconceivable golf down the stretch and won New York State Golf Association junior titles at Cedar Lake Club in Clayville. Cipolla had her hands full with fellow WNY’er Chelsea Dantonio of Lancaster. Both ladies shot 74-75 to finish 11 strokes ahead of 3rd place finishers Sarah Singleton (Depew) and Sarah Beckwith (Hamburg.) In the playoff, Cipolla was able to make par and that was enough to clinch her first state title. On the boy’s side, Reichert shot the only sub-par round of the tournament on Wednesday. He made five birdies to offset a double bogey and two bogies. Reichert’s second round was enough to secure a one-stroke victory over first round co-leader (and Cedar Lake club member) Thomas Mandel, Jr., and James McHugh. Clarence Center resident and 2015 International Junior Masters champion Marc Holzhauer was alone in fourth, another two strokes back.
Maren Cipolla at 2015 Women’s Porter Cup
Cipolla Quotes:
The turning point was when Chelsea almost had a hole in one with 3 holes left. I made a crazy up and down for par (to remain tied) Then on the last hole the 60 foot putt and I made a slider for par to go into the playoff.
The course was as hard as the weather was tricky it was very windy and chilly but it’s a course where you have to play target golf- my distance didn’t give me an advantage because you had to place it. The greens were crazy slopey. Some putts would break ten feet. It was also very hilly.
It was hard for me because I play worse one on one but I knew what she had the whole round so it was almost like match play
Ben Reichert at 2015 NYSPHSAA Championships
Reichert Quotes:
Yeah it was a lot of fun, came down to the end. I was +1 at the turn and figured I needed a few birdies, and I made 3.
I bogeyed 17 and then had an 8 footer (for par) on 18. I knew if I made it that was it and I did. Made some good putts down the stretch
(On the second-hole double bogey) I knew it was going to happen to everyone at some point. Just had to move on there was a lot of golf left to be played.
(On the golf course) It’s just one of those courses that’s hard to go low on. The greens are very slopey.
