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BG, Hollidaysburg boys golf battle each other in Section 3

Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference golf

By Michael Boytim 6 min read

TYRONE -- The Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference is divided by four sections in high school boys golf, and Hollidaysburg and Bishop Guilfoyle Academy happen to both fall into Section 3.

Unfortunately for the Golden Tigers and Marauders, that means just one of them will advance to the LHAC championship to have a chance to compete for the league title alongside other contenders like Westmont Hilltop and Central, which could win their sections.

Monday at Sinking Valley Country Club, Hollidaysburg avenged a tiebreaker loss to BG from last week with a 305-313 triumph that put both teams at 7-1 in Section 3 with another match at Sinking Valley scheduled on Sept. 8.

"It's definitely making my team better," Hollidaysburg coach Bryan James said. "The other week, we tied them. But we lost the tiebreaker. My kids didn't like that, and they came today with a purpose and played really well. For us to count four scores in the 70s, I couldn't be prouder of those guys."

Tyler Steiner led the Golden Tigers with a 2-over par 74 and was the match's medalist. Sam McLanahan shot a 76, Mason Bender had 77 and Dom Johnston carded a 78.

"I have seen them become more focused," James said. "They were all out practicing last night on their own time, and that says a lot to who they are and who they want to be."

Steiner, a senior, has been the leader for Hollidaysburg this season and recently carded a 3-under score of 69. He's been starting for the Golden Tigers his entire career, but he broke through last season with a great performance at Sunnehanna Country Club when he won the Wheeling Invitational.

"That was awesome," Steiner said. "I started off pretty rough, but I brought it back for my last 13 holes and was able to shoot 2-over total. That kind of experience helps you grow character. Being able to come back and shoot a good score after that can carry over."

James said the mental side of golf has always been a strength for Steiner.

"Tyler has always been really mentally tough," James said. "He was solid as a ninth grader, and that's why he started as a ninth grader. It's a combination of continuing to mature mentally and also physically. He's a heck of an athlete. He's taken all his athletic attributes and applied them to the game of golf. That's why we're seeing what we see."

Despite his low scores, it will be a challenge for Steiner to make it out of districts as an individual and into the state tournament because of how many top-caliber golfers State College has this season and the small number of qualifiers from District 6 Class 3A.

"I feel like I have been able to put everything together lately," Steiner said. "Last year, there was always stuff off in almost every round, but this year it's coming together and helping me score well. I'm just hoping to go out there and shoot a great round at districts. I'm not really worried about what everyone else does. I just want to play my best. If I play my best, we'll see what happens. There's not much you can do about them."

Bishop Guilfoyle got scores of 77 from both Grant Okonak and Troy Nachtman on Monday. Callen McClellan, an addition to the team this year, shot a 78 and Carter Boland carded an 81.

Tyrone, which went 1-3 on the day, got an 81 from Blake Sweitzer, and Bellwood-Antis, which went 0-4, got an 82 from Avery Bardell. Huntingdon went 2-2 with an 80 from Will Woomer.

"We have improved greatly," Boland said. "We have all put in the work this summer. The guys are more consistent in avoiding the doubles and avoiding three-putts. Overall, we're just better."

Okonak, Nachtman, Boland and Aidan Sheehan are all seniors and were part of helping Bishop Guilfoyle win the LHAC and District 6 titles last year in addition to leading the Marauders to a win in the PIAA team regionals and earning a spot in the state championship for the first time in program history.

BG isn't letting the pressure of repeating get to them.

"I think we just think of it as one match at a time," Boland said. "We just try to win the one we're playing and then worry about the next one."

Their new head coach believes this year's team is even better than last year.

"They are a year older and stronger and more mature," Bishop Guilfoyle coach Robby Okonak said. "They are better at course management and understanding how to hit different shots. They aren't necessarily ripping driver on every hole. They maximize their opportunities and eliminate some of the mistakes. It's definitely something we have been working on and that they have been improving on."

While it might not matter to all high school golfers, winning is on BG's mind each time its players take the course.

"They are all hyper-competitive kids who play other sports other than golf," Coach Okonak said. "The feeling of wanting to win that a normal golfer might not have, they definitely have. They want to do the same things, if not better than last year."

But because the LHAC only takes each section winner for its championship, either BG or Hollidaysburg won't get an opportunity to play for the overall team title.

"I think our guys welcome (playing in the same section as Hollidaysburg) and so do they," Coach Okonak said. "It makes everything important. You show up and know you have to compete in the match. You don't have a mail-in match where if another team was in here you might win by 30 or 40 strokes. What is the point of that? This is what it is going to take to win in districts and do better at states. They play well and have a lot of really good players, so I think it's good for us."

The players agree.

"I'm having a blast this year," Boland said. "It's tough knowing this is it, but I'm excited to see what we can do this year."

HOLLIDAYSBURG (305): Steiner 74, McLanahan 76, Bender 77, Johnston 78.

BISHOP GUILFOYLE (313): Okonak 77, Nachtman 77, McClellan 78, Boland 81.

HUNTINGDON (334): Woomer 80, Marshall 82, Pyle 84, Wilson 88.

TYRONE (353): Sweitzer 81, Lower 84, Reffner 94, Smith 94.

BELLWOOD-ANTIS (355): Bardell 82, McCall 88, Worthing 92, Miller 93

Records in LHAC Section 3: Bishop Guilfoyle (7-1); Hollidaysburg (7-1); Bellwood-Antis (2-6); Tyrone (2-6); Huntingdon (2-6).

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