RUSH — Section VI will have 11 girls get a look at Wild Wood Country Club today ahead of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships first round on Sunday.

Among those golfers is Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove sophomore Jocelyn Wintersteen, who is making her third appearance at the event. Once again she will hope to continue improving those scores. As an eighth-grader, Wintersteen fired a 92 and 91 to finish tied for 49th at The Edison Club and then last year she slightly improved with a 90 and 90, but dropped to 60th.

Making the move to unfamiliar territory at Wild Wood CC, she will tee off on Sunday 11:40 a.m., but before her another Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association golfer will tackle the course.

Going out with the first tee time at 11 a.m., Jamestown sophomore Nilla Ecklof will make her debut at the state championships.

Also representing Section VI are Orchard Park’s Claire Brady, Eliana Wierzbowski, Ella Rivera and Charlotte Occhino, Williamsville South’s Avery Smith and Bella Sieracki, Clarence’s Kylie Dean and Tatiana Tutko, and Williamsville North’s Cate West.

Not only will it be a new course for all of the returning golfers, but there will also be a new champion as three-time defending champion Kennedy Swedick has graduated and taken her talents to the University of Virginia. The top returning finisher is 2024 runner-up Emma Lee of Scarsdale in Section I and she is teeing off at 11:16 a.m.

BOYS

STEFFEN HEADLINES 4 AT MILL CREEK GC

CHURCHVILLE — After three years at the Mark Twain Golf Course in Elmira, the boys are making the move to Mill Creek Golf Club for the championships with practice beginning today and the first round on Sunday.

Among those competing are four CCAA golfers. Leading the pack is Maple Grove senior Evan Steffen who fired a 72 and 69 last year to earn a tie for fourth place and a trip to the Federation Championships. Steffen will hope to get familiar with Wild Wood and be ready for his 9:40 tee time on Sunday morning with Liam Clark of Peru-VII and Zach Jerome of Fairport-V.

As Steffen looks to get back near the top of the leaderboard, the trio of Jamestown senior Evan Maloney, Fredonia junior Ryan Kelly and Fredonia eighth-grader Jordan Kelly make their maiden voyage to the state championships.

Jordan Kelly will tee off with Austin Erdman of McQuaid Jesuit-V and Tino Shattuck of Maine Endwell-IV at 10:12, Maloney goes out with Braden Liberi of Boquet Valley-II and Timmy Spitz of Pittsford-Sutherland-V at 11:08 and Ryan Kelly heads out on the 10th tee with Charles Nevin of Friends Academy-VIII and Ronan DesLauriers of Schroon Lake-VII at 9:48.