Photos courtesy of Larry Small. Check back for a gallery of photos by Larry Small & Tracy Valko.
By Ben Reese
LIMERICK — It was a gold letter day for the Suburban One League golfers on the second day of the District One Golf Championship at Turtle Creek Golf Course.
Not that anyone won a gold medal.
Those honors went to Spring-Ford’s Michael Gravinese in the AAA boys, Jill Burks from Conestoga in the AAA girls and Joey Chachkin from Jenkintown in the AA boys.
However, the SOL does advance seven boys and one girl on to the PIAA Golf Championship at Penn State University. It will be played Monday through Wednesday, October 19-21, on the White and Blue Courses.
Tops on the list with second place finishes for the SOL are Pennsbury freshman Ben Revness in the AAA division and sophomore Corvin Bridge from New Hope Solebury in the AA division. Council Rock North’s Noor Mehta and Wyatt Underwood from Souderton both took fifth in the AAA division girls and AAA boys respectively.
Souderton’s Chase Andrews and Danny Ross, Kellen Toussaint from North Penn and Central Bucks West’s Jackson Valmore all came home in a tie for 11th place at eight over par, which was the final qualifying score. In addition, Souderton’s team qualified for the team competition at states, nipping Upper Dublin by one stroke.
Needless to say, every one of the golfers were excited to have qualified for the state tournament. But for some, it might have meant more than to others.
Underwood, Andrews, Valmore and Toussaint are all seniors who will be playing at states for the first time. Mehta, though only a sophomore, just missed making states in 2025 while sophomores Ross and Bridge and freshman Revness are tasting the fruits of their labors in scholastic golf for the first time.
However, all are ready to test their games against the best the rest of the state has to offer.
“I’m very excited,” said Underwood. “You know, I’ve been to districts three of my four years and I’m finally glad to bring it home and go to states.”
“This has been a goal for the last four years,” Andrews said. “Every year I got closer and closer.
“The first year, I didn’t qualify as a freshman. The second year I got to the leagues as a sophomore, got to districts last year and finally going (to states) this year.”
For Bridge, it was a big goal for him.
“I’m excited,” he said. “I’m only a sophomore so I’ve got three (really two) more years. It’s an accomplishment that I set out to do this season and I completed it.”
Revness, though the youngest golfer of the SOL qualifiers, had the best tournament. He held the lead for a lot of the first day of play, finishing the day tied for the lead at even-par 71.
On the second day, he started off with a birdie on the first hole to go one-under but bogeyed holes three and four to go one-over. A birdie on No. 5 brought him back to even par before a bogey on six put him over par again.
His bogey on 10 pushed him up to two-over but birdies on 11 and 12 got him to even. However, a bogey on No 14 dropped him to one-over for the round and a two-day total of 144, one shot behind Gravinese.
“I think my momentum from yesterday carried into today,” he said. “I didn’t make as many putts as I wanted to, but I think the driver really kept me in play today. I did what I needed to do.”
Underwood, who shot a one-over 72 on Monday, followed that up with a 76 on Tuesday at Turtle Creek. It was good enough for a tie for fifth at 148.
“It was a little harder than I would have liked,” he explained. “I missed a couple putts that I should have made and had a couple bad iron shots, but I fought through and made states. That’s all we could ask for.”
Mehta grabbed fifth for herself. She paired her first-day 80 with a 77 on the second day for a 157.
“It went pretty good today,” she said. “I had a couple of (bad) holes but for the most part I think I had a good round.
“I know I could have played a little better but just knowing I can make it (to states) it feels pretty good.”
The group that finished at eight over and just made the cut all breathed a collective sigh of relief when the cut was made. Actually, there was a playoff for the last spot between Ian Larsen from Downingtown West and Pope John Paul’s Ryan Kelly at nine over, won by Larsen.
For Ross, it was a bit nerve-wracking waiting for the cut.
“(I feel) a little nervous,” he said, “but I know my preparation and I know I can get there. (Qualifying) would prove to myself that I can keep progressing and getting better year after year.”
Toussaint had some trouble on the back nine which caused him some concern.
“I just made some bogeys coming down the stretch and had some lip-outs on 15 and 17,” he stated. “I felt good on the front nine.
“I bogeyed the par 3s and coming on the back, I hit the hazard on 10 and made double bogey and then got in some trouble on 11 but I made a very good par. I put myself in a bad spot on 12 and then I birdied 13. I was feeling good and then I bogeyed 14 and 16.”
“I’m very excited to go to states. This is my first year to be going.”
Souderton’s team of Andrews, Underwood, Ross, Cole Henning, Declan Henry and Landon Stern rallied on the final hole to slip past Upper Dublin and earn a spot in the team championship at Penn State.
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