Ben Reese highlights the SOL golfers who advanced out of the District 1 Tournament. Visit the Photo Gallery to view Larry Small's photos of day two: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/p294339007
By Ben Reese
LIMERICK — The Suburban One League has just swept the District One Golf Tournament.
SOL golfers have taken first place in the AAA girls division, the AAA boys division and the AA boys division. Plus, New Hope Solebury advanced its team to the regional which is being held today (Wednesday) at Turtle
Creek Golf Club, the site of the district championships.
To start it off, Hatboro-Horsham’s Brent Glah captured the AAA boys title, shooting a second round 69, the only round under par in the entire tournament, to finish at 4-over par 148. His total was one shot better than Will Johnson of Conestoga and Ian Larsen of Downingtown West.
For the girls. Rhianna Gooneratne of Plymouth Whitemarsh held off the challenge of Kayley Roberts of Phoenixville to take the crown with a 6-over 149, once again one shot better than Roberts.
The third championship belongs to New Hope Solebury’s Max Wright who came back late in the round to beat Justin Carpio of Collegium Charter, again by one stroke.
In all, the Suburban One League is sending six boys and three girls to the PIAA Golf Championship at Penn State University on Oct. 21-23.
The boys heading to states, in addition to Glah and Wright, are Ian Yoo of Wissahickon, Souderton’s Cole Henning, Ryan Brnich of Springfield and Central Bucks West’s Ryan Quinn, who had to win a playoff to claim the final spot. The girls, besides Gooneratne, are Alli Engart of Souderton and Council Rock North’s Naaz Mehta.
As can be expected, all nine of the golfers moving on were excited by getting to states.
But for one of them, it means much more.
For Gooneratne it means that she can defend her state title from 2023. And the win in districts also means she has an opportunity to sweep all three championships - SOLs, districts and states.
Going to states, Rhianna.
“Yes, again,” she said.
Are you aiming for a repeat of last year? And a sweep?
“Hopefully,” she said. “Looks like it.”
Glah has to be the most laid-back golfer around.
How do you feel about going to states?
“Pretty good,” he said. “I played well.”
How about finishing first?
“It felt good,” he deadpanned. “It was a good round.
“That my game was good enough to come out here and shoot low.”
Wright might have been the happiest of the three to be heading to states.
“First time in four years,” he said. “I failed here before, so I’m happy to know I got the job done my senior year.
“It wasn’t the best golf I could have played, but we got the job done at the end of the day. That’s all that matters.”
Of course, the other qualifiers were pleased with their efforts and that they are moving on to states.
Engart and Mehta were similar in their responses.
“I’m super-excited,” said Engart while Mehta said, “I’m pretty excited about it.”
The feelings of the three other boys were also similar.
“It feels pretty good,” said Yoo. “Getting cut last year wasn’t really good for me, but this year making that comeback was pretty big for me.”
“It feels good,” Brnich said. “I had a couple of shots I definitely could have hit better, and it got a little stressful near the end but I made four straight pars to lock myself in.”
“It feels great,” said Henning. “I was a little nervous coming down the last stretch of holes but it’s good that we got it done.”
As for the way these qualifiers played under conditions which were less windy than the first day but several degrees colder, it was a mixed bag. Some felt that they could have played better while some were content with their performance.
“I had a rough first day but came back and played well and it worked out,” Glah said. “I hit a lot of good shots. Putts started dropping. I had a lot of opportunities, left some of them out there, but overall a good round.”
“My approach shots for the most part (were good),” Brnich said. “Off the tee I was solid too, but I hit a lot of greens and put myself in good spots to make putts.”
Henning was the most enthusiastic.
“My wedges were money,” he said. “I was getting up and down from a lot of places and sticking them tight on two par-4s.”
Engart was the most satisfied of the girls.
“I felt I hit the ball off the tee pretty well,” she said. “I had some good approach shots that gave me some good looks at birdie which were really helpful and important.”
Gooneratne and Mehta were less than pleased with their games.
“I feel like I didn’t really have my best day,” Gooneratne said, “but I think I just kept it out of trouble. I think my greens in regulation were pretty good and making some pars and a couple of bogies, but it wasn’t terrible. I wish it was a little better.
“I was kind of steady going even (par) throughout the front nine. I had a look at birdie on seven that I definitely should have made, which was disappointing.
“(It was) just pretty steady, boring golf.”
For Mehta, her game gave her some things to work on.
“I didn’t play my best golf today,” she said. “I know I have stuff to improve on. I’m just excited to be going to states this year.”
Glah tore through the front nine with a pair of birdies and one bogie, finishing 1-under for the first nine holes. He added birdies on 14 and 15 to finish off his 3-under round. Meanwhile, Johnson was posting four birdies in his round but also had four bogies and two double bogies to finish with a second round 76.
Gooneratne bogeyed the ninth hole to finish the front at 1-over but she played the back in even par with three birdies and three bogies. Roberts could only come up with three birdies but also had six bogies and one double bogie.
Wright claimed his title in dramatic fashion. He birdied the 18th hole to give him the winning margin over Carpio, who double bogeyed the same hole.
All in all, it was a very satisfying two days for the SOL golfers.
And now on to states.
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