Leading off today: Former Pittsford Mendon star Will Thomson birdied the 72nd hole to top Chris Blyth by one shot at Irondequoit Country Club on Thursday to become the third-youngest New York State Amateur champion ever.
(Note: Tournament officials originally reported Thomson was the youngest winner in the event's 96 years; a correction was issued Friday.)
Thomson, 17, took a one-shot lead after nearly holing out for eagle at No. 16, but Blyth made a short birdie putt on the par-5 18th to tie Thomson at 6-under-par. Thomson hit his second shot at No. 18 from 204 yards away to within 12 feet, missed his eagle putt and tapped in for the birdie and the victory.
Thomson fired a tournament-low 67 in the fourth round and finished at 7-under 281.
Thomson, a University of Texas commit, twice placed in the top 15 at NYSPHSAA boys golf championships and gained notoriety in 2014 when at age 13 he became the youngest golfer ever to qualify for the U.S. Amateur. He moved to Naples, Fla., after the 2015 high school season.
Webster coach dies: Webster Thomas girls lacrosse coach Chris Barnes died Wednesday, two years after being diagnosed with colon cancer.
Barnes was hired to coach at Webster Schroeder in the late 1990s and then in 2003 started the Thomas program, where he won a Section 5 title in 2006.
"Chris Barnes did things the right way. He was about the kids and, yes, he was a winning coach, but it wasn't always about the Xs and Os," retired Schroeder AD Rick Amundson said. "He treated his girls with respect and was all about the athletes. You never looked in the paper and saw any controversy about his teams."
More girls lacrosse: The New York State Sportswriters Association will release its inaugural all-state team on Sunday.
Suffern update: Friendships sometimes become collateral damage from related disputes and that appears to be the case at Suffern, where ousted coach Joe Biddy feels betrayed by Jeff Dempsey, who was previously the girls coach but now runs the entire cross country program.
According to The Journal News, Biddy was angered by an email Dempsey wrote to Suffern parents. The email last month said Biddy's annual distance camp in t East Strousburg, Pa., was not "a healthy environment for our entire group." Dempsey had worked that camp for 15 years but was not invited back this year.
"It seems kind of odd to me that suddenly this camp cannot guarantee a healthy, positive and safe environment for our athletes. Because Mr. Dempsey cannot guarantee these things, I can and the 13 outstanding veteran coaches can as well," Biddy wrote.
At a special school board meeting Thursday, Biddy also spoke out against alleged "character assassination" by AD Andy Guccione.
The school board voted in June to replace Biddy, who had coach for 29 years, with Dempsey. The vote came after three new members perceived as pro-Biddy were voted into office but before they had taken their seats on the board.
