HERSHEY, Pa. – St. John Fisher College used a balanced scoring attack to win the 2021-22 Empire 8 Men's Golf Championship, which concluded at Hershey Country Club in Hershey, PA on April 16. The Cardinals outlasted runner-up Oswego State by 26 strokes to win its 17th Empire 8 Championship in program history.
Scores from the fall portion of the Empire 8 Championship, which was held at Timber Banks Golf Club in Baldwinsville, NY on October 2-3 were combined with scores from rounds three and four this weekend to determine team and individual awards.
St. John Fisher, the 2021-22 Empire 8 Men's Golf Team Champion, earns an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Championship, which will take place May 10-13 at Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, FL.
The Soaring Eagles Men's Golf team finished in fifth place after posting a fourth-round score of 360, while Nicholas Domitrovic '24 posted a score of 84 to finish T-12 which places him on the Third Team All-Conference.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First-year standout Bryce Barber of St. John Fisher rallied from four strokes down on the final day to win the individual medalist title by one stroke over Oswego State senior Ryan Fecco. Barber fired a 76 in the final round to card a 27-over score of 311 over the four-round championship, while Fecco shot a 312 during the championship tournament. Oswego's Jake Owens had the lowest score of the final round, a 5-over par 75 to surge into third place overall with a final score of 317. St. John Fisher's Matt McGaugh placed fourth overall in E8 Championship play with a four-round score of 319, while Utica's Adam Woodmansee rounded out the top five with a final score of 323.
Below are the team scores and top individual scores from the fall championship. The Empire 8 All-Conference selections and individual award winners will be announced by the conference next week. The top five scorers at the end of the tournament will earn first-team all-conference honors with the next five finishers being named to the second team. Finishers 11-15 will earn third team accolades.
For the Soaring Eagles, it was Domitrovic who would have the best day after posting an 84, the same as he did just a day ago. After posting a 10 on the first hole par 5, Domitrovic was able to rally on the front end of the course, playing par golf which included birdies on the 6th and 7th holes, including the par 5, 511-yard sixth hole. The Soaring Eagles finished with just one other birdie on the afternoon, as Ryan Reifler recorded a four on the par 5 first hole.
Shane Haviland '24 concluded the tournament with a 96 in the final round, placing him T-24 in the overall tournament. Domitrovic would finish the tournament T-6th in par 4 scoring.
2021-22 Empire 8 Championship Team Scores:
St. John Fisher College – 1262 (311-317-322-312)
Oswego State – 1288 (320-309-323-320)
Utica University – 1321 (314-331-356-336)
Russell Sage College – 1338 (321-333-351-333)
Elmira College –1421 (340-359-362-360)
Nazareth College – 1448 (359-362-364-363)
Keuka College – 1523 (362-392-390-379)
UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles will return to the course next weekend at the Oswego State Invitational hosted at Oswego Country Club.
