McQuaid boys golf duo shines at sectionals and state qualifier

Marquel Slaughter, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Section V Class AA co-champs Danny Wehle, left, and Rich Essen, right of McQuaid, and Class A champion Matt Carpentier of Pittsford Mendon, shot the three lowest scores of Monday's boys golf state qualifiers at Irondequoit Country Club.
Section V Class AA co-champs Danny Wehle, left, and Rich Essen, right of McQuaid, and Class A champion Matt Carpentier of Pittsford Mendon, shot the three lowest scores of Monday's boys golf state qualifiers at Irondequoit Country Club.

IRONDEQUOIT — The hottest day of the year didn't stop McQuaid golfers Richard Essen and Danny Wehle, Pittsford Mendon's Matt Carpentier, and a slew of others from earning slots on Section V's boys team that will travel to states next weekend.

Essen and Wehle were co-medalists of the state qualifiers as temperatures almost reached 90 degrees Monday at the scenic Irondequoit County Club. Section V saw nine golfers in total make the state cut. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships are June 2-3 at Mark Twain Golf Course in Elmira. Wehle, Carpentier and Victor's Brody Burgess — the 2023 All-Greater Rochester Golfer of the Year — helped Section V strike gold in 2023. Fairport's Connor Kiel, Carpentier and Burgess golfed on Section V's runner-up state team in 2022.

Saturday's 18-hole Section V championships at Ravenwood Golf Club provided first round scores. The second round was Monday. Golfers qualified for states based on their total scores through both rounds.

Boys golf: Section V results for 2024 season

"I feel like the team chemistry is there. We're all good buddies. We're going to have a lot of fun," Carpentier said.

"I'm just excited for the opportunity," Essen said.

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Section V boys golf state qualifiers

Victor's Ethan Domanjko birdied the 18th hole to make the state cut. That final shot gave Domanjko the one stroke edge. From the looks of Domanjko's Tiger Woods-esque fist pump, and his joyful handshake with Burgess, it appeared as if the Victor golfers knew how important that final birdie putt was.

Here are Section V's golfers who will compete at states in June:

Co-medalist Danny Wehle, McQuaid

Wehle, a sophomore, shot 69-72-141 to qualify for states in his first season at McQuaid. He began strong with two birdies on the front nine. At the Section V championships, Wehle shared the Class AA individual title with Essen. In 2023, Wehle tied for fifth at states and won the individual Section V Class B title as a Bishop Kearney golfer.

"(This is) my first year, sort of, in high school golf. A lot of matches. I've played pretty good throughout the whole year," Wehle said.

Co-medalist Richard Essen, McQuaid

Essen, a senior, will make his NYSPHSAA debut after shooting 69-72-141. Essen shot 3-under par on Saturday and an even par round Monday, when he nailed three birdies on the back nine after a rough start. He'll graduate sharing Section V co-medalist honors with Wehle.

"I knew that I put in all the work and everything so it's just a matter of when. Coming off the front nine, I didn't play too well ... but I grinded my way through the back," Essen said.

Matt Carpentier, Pittsford Mendon

A senior, Carpentier tallied the next lowest total at 68-76-144. He birdied thrice on the back nine Monday. Carpentier's 4-under par 68 was the lowest score of the Section V tournament. Carpentier tied for fifth at the 2023 NYS championships.

"I just felt like as long as you kept the ball in front of you, hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens, you'd do perfectly fine. And that's what I did today," Carpentier said.

Section V's boys golf state qualifiers: McQuaid's Danny Wehle and Richard Essen, Victor's Brody Burgess and Ethan Domajnko, Pittsford Mendon's Matt Carpentier; Spencerport's Sam Eichas, Greece Athena's Joshua Bradley, Fairport's and Zach Jerome Connor Kiel.
Section V's boys golf state qualifiers: McQuaid's Danny Wehle and Richard Essen, Victor's Brody Burgess and Ethan Domajnko, Pittsford Mendon's Matt Carpentier; Spencerport's Sam Eichas, Greece Athena's Joshua Bradley, Fairport's and Zach Jerome Connor Kiel.

  • Brody Burgess (Victor) 71-77-148.

  • Joshua Bradley (Greece Athena) 72-76-148.

  • Zach Jerome (Fairport) 76-73-149.

  • Connor Kiel (Fairport) 74-75-149.

  • Sam Eichas (Spencerport) 75-75-150.

  • Ethan Domajnko (Victor) 71-79-150.

Golfers will participate in practice rounds Saturday, June 1. The first round begins Sunday, June 2. Tee times for the final round begin the morning of Monday, June 3. Section V's boys team championship tournament is currently in progress. Champions will be crowned Monday, May 28 and Wednesday, May 30.

Section V boys golf individual champions

Class AA:Danny Wehle (McQuaid) and Richard Essen (McQuaid), 3-under par 69.

Class A:Matt Carpentier (Mendon) 4-under par 68.

Class B:Ryan Thompson (Addison) 74.

Class C:Joe Walsh (Bloomfield) 79.

Class D:Tyler Koch (Caledonia-Mumford) 78.

Section V's girls state qualifiers

Section V's girls will compete in the NYSPHSAA championships June 2-3 at The Edison Club in Rexford. The following athletes qualified for states back in the fall:

Harper Dittman (Fairport), Emily Ferguson (Aquinas), Marisa Eichas (Mercy), Jennie Piao (HAC), Destiny Jodoin (Victor), Macey Fox (Webster), Sophia Cellura (Mercy), Emily Zigrossi (Spencerport), Hannah Prince (Spencerport), Emma Sweazy (Rush-Henrietta), Allie Sherman (Spencerport), Catherine Smith (Spencerport). Team champion: Mercy.

— Marquel Slaughter is a journalist for the Democrat and Chronicle, specializing in high school sports. He has been reporter for 14 years. Follow him @MarquelSports on X or on Instagram. You can contact him at mslaughter1@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V golf: McQuaid duo shines at sectionals and state qualifier

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