Girls golf notebook: Smithtown West's Paige Diecidue helps at Suffolk girls championship
Smithtown West's Paige Diecidue tees off from the 10th hole during the Suffolk girls golf finals on Tuesday at Middle Island Country Club on May 21, 2019. Credit: George A. Faella
The Suffolk girls golf championship was held on Tuesday and Wednesday at Smithtown Landing, and a familiar face was in attendance.
Paige Diecidue, the 2019 county champion and Smithtown West graduate, recently completed her sophomore season on the women’s golf team at Monmouth University, and served as a volunteer marker for one of the groups on the second day of the tournament.
A day prior, she was competing in the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association/Metropolitan Golf Association Met Amateur Championship at Southampton Golf Club. Diecidue won the event by two strokes with a 3-over-par 74.
"I knew I wanted to go and support the my former team anyway, but being able to contribute and help Section XI run a tournament was even more rewarding. They have done so much for me as a young player," Diecidue said.
The 19-year-old watched her alma mater earn the team championship with a two-day team score of 983. Smithtown West head coach Val Flora became the first female to win the title.
"It was amazing to see them win the counties as such a young program," Diecidue said. "As for my former coach, I’m so happy she led the team to victory. I know how dedicated she is to every player she coaches, both on and off the course.
The future is now in Nassau
The top three finishers at last week’s Nassau girls tournament haven’t entered high school yet.
Jericho Middle School eighth-grader Renna Chang, Manhasset Secondary School seventh-grader Madison Chen and Great Neck North Middle School seventh-grader Lia Huang were beyond impressive, and played together in the final group on June 2 during the final round of the two-day championship.
Chang won the event by shooting a 154, Chen placed second with a 162 and Huang was third with a 166.
"I think that the sport is becoming more and more popular among high school girls," Huang said. "I feel that a lot of middle schoolers will see this and believe they can do it too."
Friars end Flyers streak
The St. Anthony’s boys team collected its first NSCHSAA championship on Monday on Eisenhower Red and ended Chaminade’s run of consecutive titles from 2013-19.
The Friars finished with the top three golfers at the league tournament and had five golfers in the top 10. Drew McGoldrick and Dean Munatore tied for first with a 1-over-par 73, Drew’s twin brother Matt placed third with a 77, Ryan Napodano tied for fifth with a 79 and Simon Boresi tied for ninth with an 80.
