Six SOL golfers will compete in next week’s state tournament at Heritage Hills in York.
By Ben Reese
FLEETWOOD -- The last step toward the PIAA Golf Championship has been taken. The Eastern Regional is complete.
And the Suburban One League didn't make out too badly. Of the 24 boys advancing to play at Heritage Hills in York next week, the SOL grabbed four spots, and both SOL girls also moved on to the final leg of the state tourney.
Leading the contingent from the SOL was Upper Dublin's David Kim, who finished in third place with a 71. He trailed Gus Minkin of Central York and Methacton's Kyle Vance by two strokes. Minkin was declared the 
regional champ after besting Vance in a playoff.
Joining Kim in York will be his teammate Jack Melville (75, tied for seventh), Souderton's Quinn Guzman (also 75, tied for seventh) and Jake Fitts of Central Bucks South (77, tied for 16th).
On the girls side, Gabby Kim of Radnor was the medalist with a 74, followed by Samantha Staudt of Coatesville and Radnor's Brynne Walker at 75. Madelein Herr of Council Rock North took fourth with a 76 and her high school teammate Lauren Muhlbauer was tied for eighth at 84.
Kim was a bit surprised that he was the low scorer in the SOL.
"That's pretty cool," he said. "There's a lot of good players in the Suburban One League so it's pretty cool to be on top for once.
"I was just trying to shoot 76, 75. I made a couple of birdies and put some in close. Most of them were just tap-ins."
And states - how excited does that make you feel?
"Pretty excited," Kim said. "I didn't make it freshman and sophomore year and I didn't even make it past districts before this year. I'm pretty happy."
Melville has been around this block before. He finished tied for 16th last year with a 78.
But that doesn't make it any less exciting.
"It feels great," Melville said. "I expected to do this, but every year it's tough to get through each round."
He had some praise for the course.
"The course was in great shape," he said. "The fairways were firm so you could have some short irons and wedges in. The greens were lightning and I struggled on them.
"I was hitting almost all the fairways. That kept me in play."
Fitts, meanwhile, was happy to be moving on to states.
"I cut it a little closer than I probably wanted to," he said. "My goal was to go under 77 because I knew that would most likely be safe compared to other cuts in the past.
"Through 17, I was 3-over and I didn't finish the way I wanted to but I'm just glad to be in. It's the best feeling ever."
Guzman was pleased with his play, especially from the tee box.
"Off the tee, that's the best I've been in weeks," he said. "It didn't matter what club I had on the tee box, I just felt that I was going to hit the fairway. You've got to stay in the fairway to be aggressive."
And, like the other qualifiers, Guzman was elated.
"I feel good," he said. "I didn't feel awesome after leagues or districts because I knew there was more work to be done.
"Now I feel that, there's no cut at states - you get to go and feel the reward of all that hard work in the season. Just go and enjoy a round of golf."
Herr was riding along through 15 holes at 1-under and looking like she might challenge for the title. However, she bogied the 15th hole and had doubles on 16 and 17 to finish at 4-over 76.
Muhlbauer, who didn’t feel as though she played well, was happy to advance. She shot a 12-over 84, which was enough for her to finish in the middle of the advancing pack.
The most disappointed SOL golfer had to be Souderton's Dawson Anders. He tied for the final spot in the 24-golfer field moving on to states with five other golfers at 78, necessitating a playoff.
Anders and two other golfers bogied the 10th hole while the other three parred it
Those from the SOL who participated in the Eastern Regional and missed the cut were Ron Robinson of North Penn (79, tied for 28th), Abington's Matt Shur (80, tied for 31st), Central Buck East's Tommy Lewis (82, 38th) and Luca Jezzeny of CB West (82, tied for 39th).
The PIAA championship will be held on Monday, Oct. 26, and Tuesday, Oct. 27, at Heritage Hills in York for the individual championship. The team title will be decided on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
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