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TELFORD – Brandon Dalinka competed in only two golf matches this season.
That was apparently more than enough for the Council Rock North sophomore, who – despite a double bogey to close out the round – shot a dazzling three-under-par 69 to capture first place in Monday’s Suburban One League Tournament at Indian Valley Country Club.
Dalinka, who finished three strokes ahead of his next closest competitor, has been nursing a back injury and only recently returned to the links.
“He and his dad are very conscientious about coming back the right way, so the injury doesn’t last for years,” Rock North coach Richard White said. “With this game, backs are very, very significant.
“He did his therapy, he did what he had to do, and he did not play until last week. He didn’t start striking a ball until last week, and that wasn’t at full speed. He took the driver out of his bag on Saturday.”
The layoff certainly didn’t hurt Dalinka, who shot a 34 on the front nine and closed it out with a 35 on the back nine.
“I’m very pleased,” White said. “We’re sorry we missed him for the dual meet season, but this game is about every individual doing the best they can in their circumstances.
“John Gaston just won a playoff, and that’s very, very nerveracking for a 16-year-old who has to go through a gallery of coaches and peers, and they all want to see what’s going to happen. You have to perform under pressure, and he did that. I’m very pleased with that performance as well.”
Gaston, Dalinka, Blayze DiPasquale and Dan Costello gave Rock North the largest contingency of players heading to districts with four.
Gaston and North Penn’s Brian Palm unquestionably took the most dramatic route. Nine players finished the 18-hole tournament tied at 84, setting up a tiebreaker to determine who would earn the final two spots. Palm - a long shot who was near the bottom of the qualifying list for SOLs - was the lone player to shoot par on the first hole to earn one of the two coveted spots. Gaston won his district berth on the second tiebreaker hole.
“It was great for him to make it,” Knight coach Marty Bauer said of Palm. “I’m really excited. For a senior the first time in his golf career to do that – that’s great.”
Finishing second to Dalinka and capturing the Continental Conference title was Hatboro-Horsham’s Connor McNicholas, who shot an even par 72. “I haven’t been playing well all season, and I wanted to come in and play well,” the Hatters’ junior said. “I started a little slow, but I birdied, 12, 13 and 14, so from that point, I was like, ‘Alright, this could be good.’
“A lot of people were concerned about making the cut, but I was concerned about winning the tournament. I feel pretty good.”
McNicholas is one of three Hatters advancing to districts, joining teammates Matt Teesdale, who finished 10th and shot a 77, and Mike Johnson, whose 79 was good enough for 15th place.
Council Rock South’s Peter Eiler shot a 73 to finish third, and he will be joined at districts by teammates Evan Navitsky, who shot a 77 and finished 10th, and Matt Cocco (83).
Abington’s Ben Cooley was fourth, finishing the day two over par at 74.
Wissahickon’s Talan Harlow shot a 74 to finish fifth, which was good enough to capture the American Conference individual title. Not a bad showing for the senior transfer from St. Louis, Mo., who was not playing competitive golf last year this time. “I played my freshman and sophomore years but nothing real competitive,” Harlow said. “This is the first year I played competitive golf tournaments. It’s been a fun year.
“I had a couple of bad holes today, but I had some good holes too. I didn’t play golf at all last year, and just to get myself in a position to win this my senior year – it’s great. I’m really excited.”
Harlow was one of three Trojans earning a berth in districts, joining, Oliver White (82) and Zach Weiss (83).
“It’s exciting,” Wissahickon coach Jeff Kavanaugh said. “As a team, we had a great year this year. We placed eight players in Suburbans, which is believed to be a school record.
“We have a strong team, and Talan has been in the forefront all year. He has a big game, and today is not a surprise. It’s nice he did it, but he can definitely go low. He has an impressive game.”
In sixth place was Cheltenham’s Matt Crescenzo (75), and he was followed by Springfield’s Alex McPherson, who also shot a 75. Upper Dublin’s Tim Duke shot a 76 and finished eighth. Teammate Andrew Kim just made it under the district cut with an 83.
Patrick Welsh from Central Bucks West was 11th with a 77, and Central Bucks East’s Russ Hartung (78) finished 12th. East’s Tyler Hughes (79), who was 14th, and Ryan Hartung (82) also made the district cut. Plymouth Whitemarsh’s James Braunsberg finished 13th with a 79, and his teammate, Jason Rosenbaum also qualified with a 79.
Pennridge also will send a pair to districts with Austin Jacoby (79) and Danny Walck (81) both earning berths. Harry S. Truman’s Scott Simon (80) finished 19th. Ty Flagler (80) joins Palm in representing North Penn at districts.
Neshaminy will be represented by a trio of golfers in Brendan Carr (81), Alex Jeffers (82) and Drew Keeling (83). Central Bucks South will send Tyler Darrah (81) and Anthony Giaquinto (83). Upper Merion’s Eric Slawter earned a berth by shooting an 82, and Nate Cordero (83) will represent Souderton.
SUBURBAN ONE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT, Indian Valley Country Club (Par 72)
1.Brandon Dalinka, Council Rock North, 69; 2. Connor McNicholas, Hatboro-Horsham, 72; 3. Peter Eiler, Council Rock South, 73; 4. Ben Cooley, Abington, 74; 5. Talan Harlow, Wissahickon, 74; 6. Matt Crescenzo, Cheltenham, 75; 7. Alex McPherson, Springfield, 75; 8. Tim Duke, Upper Dublin, 76; 9. Matt Teesdale, Hatboro-Horsham, 77, 10. Evan Navitsky, Council Rock South, 77; 11. Patrick Welsh, Central Bucks West, 77; 12. Russ Hartung, Central Bucks East, 78; 13. James Braunsberg, Plymouth Whitemarsh, 79; 14. Tyler Hughes, Central Bucks East, 79; 15. Mike Johnson, Hatboro-Horsham, 79; 16. Blayze DiPasquale, Council Rock North, 79; 17. Austin Jacoby, Pennridge, 79; 18. Jason Rosenbaum, Plymouth Whitemarsh, 79; 19. Scott Simon, Truman, 80; 20. Ty Flagler, North Penn, 80; 21. Brendan Carr, Neshaminy, 81; 22. Danny Walck, Pennridge, 81; 23. Matt Cocco, Council Rock South, 81; 24. Tyler Darrah, Central Bucks South, 81; 25. Eric Slawter, Upper Merion, 82; 26. Oliver White, Wissahickon, 82; 27. Alex Jeffers, Neshaminy, 82; 28. Ryan Hartung, Central Bucks East, 82; 29. Drew Keeling, Neshaminy, 83; 30. Nate Cordero, Souderton 83; 31. Anthony Giaquinto, Central Bucks South, 83; 32. Dan Costello, Council Rock North, 83; 33. Zach Weiss, Wissahickon, 83; 34. Andrew Kim, Upper Dublin, 83; 35. Brian Palm, North Penn, 84 (Tiebreaker); 36. John Gaston, Council Rock North, 84 (Tiebreaker).
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