Saranac Lake’s top four players combined for a total of 336 strokes in the team competition to place second overall. Meanwhile, the Peru Nighthawks closed out the day as the overall Section VII champions after three of its players finished inside the top four. The Nighthawks combined for a score of 308.

Lake Placid finished in fourth place overall with a 358, while the Northeastern Clinton Cougars narrowly edged them out with a 353.

Sixty players and eight teams competed Thursday, with the top 22 golfers advancing to today’s final 18-hole round, which will decide the sectional individual champion and the golfers who will represent Section VII at next week’s state tournament.

Saranac Lake’s Ryan McGinnis-Theis finished the day in third place after shooting a 77. The sophomore golfer trails only Peru’s Nick Palmer — who carded a 71 — and Liam Clark — who shot a 76.

Lake Placid’s Carver Bell chips toward the green on the fifth hole at Craig Wood on Thursday during the first round of the Section VII Golf Championships. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Thursday’s cut was set at 89, and McGinnis-Theis, alongside two other Red Storm players, advanced to the final round on Friday. The Blue Bombers had two players make the cut, with Carver Bell leading Lake Placid, tied for sixth place with an 80.

Saranac Lake’s Noah Hastings, a junior, advanced with an 84. He is currently tied with Peru’s Nolan Miner for 12th place. Right behind is Lake Placid’s Seb Cecunjanin and the Red Storm’s Jonah Peckham, who both carded an 85. Cecunjanin and Peckham are tied with Northeastern Clinton’s Seth Rabideau for 14th place.

Saranac Lake’s Carson St. Louis just missed the cut with a 90. The Red Storm was rounded out by Cooper Patnode (103) and David Rascoe (119).

Lake Placid’s Torin Fadden finished the day with a 93, while Oren Preston carded a 100, Nolan Clark shot a 106 and Braeden Foley turned in a 112. Keene’s lone golfer in the tournament, Sam Crowl, shot a 92.

The final round kicks off at 9 a.m.

Saranac Lake’s Noah Hastings chips toward the ninth hole green Thursday at Craig Wood during the first round of the Section VII Golf Championships. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

Lake Placid’s Seb Cecunjanin chips toward the green on the ninth hole at Craig Wood on Thursday during the first round of the Section VII Golf Championships. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)