Central finally conquers D6 foes to capture title
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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
HOLLIDAYSBURG -- The District 6 high school boys golf championships have been filled with disappointment and heartbreak for Central the past few years.
The Scarlet Dragons lost the team title by just one stroke to Tyrone two years ago and finished as the runner-up by only four strokes last season.
Tuesday it was Central that came away with a thrilling victory in the 2A competition by four strokes over Saint Joseph's and six strokes over West Shamokin at Scotch Valley Country Club.
"We have won sectionals the last three years," Central senior Griffin Snowberger said. "We had never won districts. We knew that and didn't want to let that happen again. It was a good team effort to get the job done. There was a lot of motivation there to close the deal this time."
Snowberger led the charge, carding a 75 and finishing as the individual runner-up behind West Shamokin's Alex Talmadge, who shot a 1-under par 71.
Snowberger's teammate and classmate Nick Baum shot a 77 to tie Tyrone's R.J. Royer and placed fourth after a card-off.
Baum struggled with accuracy all day but took advantage of some good bounces. On No. 1, his approach looked headed toward a pond behind the green, but it bounced off a drainage pipe back into play under a tree.
He had to keep the next shot low but was able to get it to check up, and he made his par putt. A few holes later on the par-5 fifth hole, his second shot hit a willow tree but ricocheted onto the fairway, and he ended up making a birdie.
"Today I hit more fairways that weren't mine than fairways I was supposed to hit," Baum said. "It was all about the next shot for me today. My last hole, I was out of bounds by 6 inches and had to take a double bogey. It was a grind today, but to say I'm moving on, I'm very happy to be able to say that."
Zach Oakes, another senior on Central, played a key role in the team district title by shooting an 81 despite not being in the individual competition.
"Zach has been that guy who has always come through for us," Central coach Robbie Keith said. "It's not just a one or two person team. We have had two new guys come in this year and help us out in Cody Clapper and Bryton Barnes. It was a total team effort to win today."
Central will play the District 9 champion in a PIAA regional at Treasure Lake in DuBois on Oct. 5 at 10 a.m.
Snowberger, Baum and Royer were the only players in the Mirror's core coverage area to make the 2A top eight and qualify for the PIAA championships in State College on Oct. 16-17.
Royer's 77 for a third-place finish came a year after he just missed the cut at districts.
"It means the world," Royer said. "I was devastated last year after missing states. To come back and get what I needed to do done means a lot to me."
Class 3A
In Class 3A, the team title and individual champion did not involve much drama. State College defeated Hollidaysburg, 309-339, and Max Wager won the District 6 title with a 73.
It appeared as though his teammate, Luke McGraw, would join him at states as the only other individual qualifier in 3A.
McGraw led Hollidaysburg junior Isaac Miller by one stroke going into No. 18, the final hole for their group. McGraw did his part and made par, but Miller drained a long birdie putt to force a playoff.
"I tried to play it smart, get on the green and let my putting do the work," Miller said. "It was around a 35-foot putt. I felt on top of the world."
Miller missed a short putt on the first playoff hole that could have won it, but McGraw returned the favor by missing a short one of his own on the second playoff hole to allow Miller to advance after both players shot a 76 in regulation.
"It's amazing," said Miller, who shot a low round of 72 this year and averaged around 79. "All my hard work finally paid off."
Staying even keel
Northern Cambria senior Brady Houser appeared set to make states in his final chance until disaster struck on one of his final holes.
Houser's shot went into the woods right off the No. 13 tee. As he searched for his ball, his clubs fell over and rolled down the hill. He attempted to run after them and slipped on the mud-covered slope.
With his pants and shirt covered in mud, he ran back into the woods, chipped out and made a double bogey. Rather than let it ruin his chances, he recovered by making a birdie on the next hole and shot a 79 to make states by one stroke.
"Four years I have been wanting to do this, and I finally had a year where I put it all together," Houser said. "I knew the next two holes I could do well on. I didn't know where I was at on the leaderboard, but I knew if I could make birdie (on the next hole) there, I should be OK."
Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic junior Brody Partner-Gore finished a solo ninth by shooting an 80 and will be the first alternate if one of the top eight players can't compete at states.
CLASS 3A TEAM RESULTS
1, State College (SC) 309; 2, Hollidaysburg (H) 339.
CLASS 3A INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (TOP TWO ADVANCE TO STATES)
1, M. Wager, SC, 73; 2, Miller, H, 76; 3, McGraw, SC, 76; 4, B. Wager, SC, 78; 5, Hockey, H, 81; 6, Corson, SC, 82; 7, Fravel, Central Mountain, 84; 8, Cumming, Altoona, 86; 9, Steiner, H, 87; 10, Shaner, SC, 88.
CLASS 2A TEAM RESULTS
1, Central (C) 328; 2, Saint Joseph's (SJ) 332; 3, West Shamokin (WS) 334; 4, Central Cambria (CC) 345.
CLASS 2A INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (TOP EIGHT ADVANCE TO STATES)
1, Talmadge, WS, 71; 2, Snowberger, C, 75; 3, Royer, Tyrone, 77; 4, Baum, C, 77; 5, Pynos, River Valley, 78; T-6, Miller, Westmont Hilltop, 79; T-6, Bloom, Bellefonte, 79; T-6, Houser, Northern Cambria, 79; 9, Partner-Gore, Bishop Guilfoyle, 80; T-10, E. Lingle, SJ, 81; T-10, Oakes, C, 81; T-12, Helsley, Bishop Guilfoyle, 83; T-12, Shoop, WS, 83; 14, Nagle, Cambria Heights, 84; 15, H. Lingle, SJ, 85; 16, Okonak, Bishop Guilfoyle, 86; T-17, Semelsberger, CC, 87; T-17, Cuppett, CC, 87; T-17, Geist, WS, 87; 20, Reed, River Valley, 90; 21, Sweitzler, Tyrone, 91; T-22, Persichetti, River Valley, 93; T-22, Repko, Bishop Carroll, 93; 24, Sorchilla, Forest Hills, 95; T-25, Barnes, C, 96; T-25, Kargo, Portage, 96; 27, Persio, CC, 99; 28, Johnston, Bellwood-Antis, 100; 29, Kirsch, CC, 101; 30, Habovick, Bald Eagle Area, 103.