PW clinched the American Conference golf crown in dramatic fashion last week, and a pair of SOL golfers won a six-player playoff for two spots in districts. *Photo provided by Mr. George Wadlin.
Be sure to check our four separate photo galleries covering the entire field of golfers at the SOL Championships held at Indian Valley Country Club.
Plymouth Whitemarsh had itself quite a week last week, capping a successful season by winning its high stakes tri-match at Green Valley Country Club on Wednesday against Upper Dublin and Wissahickon to capture a share of the SOL American Conference crown.
The Colonials needed wins over both squads, and they answered the call, defeating Upper Dublin 203-209 and downing Wissahickon 203-206. They will share the league's top spot with Upper Dublin, but by merits of defeating the Flying Cardinals - who downed PW 198-201 earlier this season - by more than three strokes, PW's team earned a spot in districts.
Upper Dublin and PW finished league play with identical 13-1 records.
Leading the charge for the Colonials were Carter Field and Evan Beaty. Both came up big when it mattered most with Field shooting an even-par 36 and Beaty delivering a 37.
“We moved Carter up to partner with Evan halfway through the season, and that made a big difference,” PW coach George Wadlin said. “They both challenged each other.”
The Colonials’ coach went on to acknowledge the contributions of Beaty, whose big performance was nothing new. Over the course of the season, he has had four rounds of 36 and an even-par 34 at Melrose Country Club against Cheltenham. All told, he has shot in the 30s in eight rounds this season.
“Evan has been like a third coach for us, very similar to the way Zach Pogust was,” Wadlin said of his former standout who is now playing at Bucknell. “His leadership has been so helpful, and he has been consistent for us all year.
“He seemed to struggle on our home course from time to time, and he came up so big.”
Also contributing to the all-important total for PW were Zak Glaser (42), John Hansel (43) and Dom Aprile (45).
The Cardinals were led by Tommy O’Brian (40), Andrew Carber (41) and Cole Sniger (42). For the Trojans, Jalen Griffin (39), Rishab Kumar (39) and Jesse Hunsicker (41) led the way.
Making the cut – Talk about happy endings, the final SOL Championships last Monday were just that for Abington senior Brian Hanley and Plymouth Whitemarsh senior Dom Aprile.
Both – in their first ever trip to SOLs – earned a berth in this week’s District One Tournament, and both survived a six-player playoff for two remaining district spots. The district cut was 85 – six players shot an 85.
“I was ecstatic,” Hanley said. “After barely missing the SOL Tournament last year, to make districts- I’m just so happy. It’s a big accomplishment.”
“It felt fantastic,” Aprile said. “We just won the league. It’s been a pretty good week.”
Both made tough shots to make par on the playoff hole. Hanley’s tee shot landed in the left rough.
“It was like the Masters, and these kids aren’t used to people watching them,” Abington coach Jason Cottone said. “My heart was racing.
“Brian was one of the last guys to hit his approach shot. He was probably about 140 yards out, and he hit a tremendous shot from the rough – over the water that was right before the green.”
“I was a little nervous about that,” Hanley admitted. “I had some trees in the way. I took out my pitching wedge, and I just put it on the green.”
Hanley two-putted for par, and he was in districts.
“It was pretty tough,” he said. “I took a little time, read my putt and made the best putt I could. Unfortunately, it didn’t go in, but I made the second putt for par.”
Aprile found himself in an equally tough spot.
“I felt as though there was a lot of pressure, but I was so determined to get in, and the pressure went away because I wanted it so badly,” the PW senior said. “I knew if I had a chance to get in I would make the best of it and just try my hardest, and I knew all the work would pay off. I knew something good would happen at the end.”
Aprile also had a tough second shot and drained a long putt to finish even par.
“He wants it so bad,” PW coach George Wadlin said. “For a kid like him and what he’s gone through – it’s a nice story.”
Aprile’s high school career started off on a good note when he made varsity as a sophomore, but midway through the season he was moved back to the jayvee.
“When he was a sophomore, he started out pretty well, and I put him right on varsity without really thinking too much,” Wadlin said. “He crashed and burned, but he took that and ran with it.”
It was tough at first,” Aprile admitted. “But I knew if I kept working hard I could get back to the top and get right back on varsity.”
Aprile, a caddy at Sunny Brook Golf Club, not only diligently worked on his game but also worked on getting in shape, working out with Beaty, Justin Staudenmayer, and Erik Tucker.
“We all used to run around the neighborhood together,” Aprile said.
The PW senior reaped the dividends for his hard work. As a junior, Aprile was back on the varsity, but it was during his senior year that he reached the next level.
“I can’t tell you how happy I was for Dom,” Wadlin said. “He just worked so hard to make himself better.”
Hanley’s also was a success story born out of hard work.
“He has surpassed my expectations beyond belief,” Cottone said. “He has just been tremendously consistent the entire season. He’s always one I could have looked to to contribute to our matches, and he’s really helped out with everything we’ve accomplished this year.”
This is only Hanley’s second year on varsity as well.
“I was nervous because I really wanted to make districts this year,” he said. “Probably the neatest part about it was that the entire gallery was watching. It was almost like a professional event. That’s what you live for.”
Short irons - Pennsbury's Jackie Rogowicz suffered through a difficult day Wednesday at the SOL girls’ championship tournament. The Falcon sophomore shot a 78, far above her usual score. Her main problem was her putting. She three-putted five times and four-putted once. “I hit the ball really, really well but I was putting awful,” she said. “I was trying to get it (her putting stroke) back but I couldn't.” … Jalen Griffin of Wissahickon, in addition to shooting an excellent round at the SOL boys championship tournament, really enjoyed his pairing with CB East's Stewart Rickenbach, Council Rock North's Zach Herr and Upper Dublin's Andrew Carber. “It's definitely always good to play against good players,” Griffin said Monday. “Stewart, Andrew and Zach are all great players. The whole round we were all real near each other, and it's really good to have that competition, prodding you along, trying to beat your opponent. It's fun.” … Hatboro-Horsham's fledgling girls’ golf program got a big boost on Wednesday. Emily Haas and Hannah Fireman qualified for District One play, the first time the Hatters have put two girls into districts. … The Abington girls' team also took a big step forward when two of its players - sophomores Rebecca Chiger and Danielle Carr - both earned a berth in districts. It is the first time in Abington history that the program has had to females qualify in districts. ... Early in the back nine of Wednesday's SOL girls tourney, something odd happened. CB East's Ashley Cassidy hit her drive, pulling to the left of the fairway, over a bunker which hid the left side of the hole. It also hid the cart path on which sat a golf cart used by the media. Cassidy's ball hit the cart path and bounded into the rear of the cart. She was given a free drop and not penalized.
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