Methacton Wins Third-Straight PAC-10 Team Championship
GILBERTSVILLE >> They were hungry.
There wasn’t anything that would satisfy the Warriors, except a win.
On Thursday, Methacton captured its third-straight Pioneer Athletic Conference team championship by downing Owen J. Roberts 178-182 at Gilbertsville Golf Club’s Red Course (Par 35).
As the tradition goes, the team had its celebratory dinner at Sonic Drive-In in Royersford, its third trip in as many seasons.
“We didn’t really plan on making it a tradition the first year,” said junior Kyle Vance. “But now that we’ve won it three times, I think it would be wrong not to keep it going.”
Vance deserves to supersize it and even add dessert, as he sparked the Warriors’ efforts with a 3-under 32 on the round.
Also scoring low for the Warriors were junior Dan Rieger and senior Zach Feaster each with a 36, while Adam Duca and TJ Cinelli each carded a 37.
“We knew this match would be tight,” Vance said. “Owen J. played us tight all season, and we knew the championship round would be no different. Playing at No. 1, I knew I needed to come in with a low score.”
Vance’s putter was cooking as he needed only 13 putts in his round and never had a three-putt. On the day, he dropped four birdies and four pars with a lone bogey coming on the first hole.
His driver was no slouch, either.
On what has started become his signature finishing hole, Vance smoked his tee shot over the pond on the par-4, 336-yard No. 9 while the rest of the field laid it up short.
Tapping in an easy birdie putt to end his round, it proved to be a similar finish to his PAC-10 Individual title coming just over a week before.
“That’s just one of those holes that I get to the tee box and immediately feel confident,” he said. “I was hitting my driver really well and I knew I could get it over the pond. For me it’s a great way to finish out the round.”
For Owen J. Roberts, Ward McHenry shot an even-par 35 followed by Mark Amadio at 36. Tommy Opitz, Andrew O’Brien and Noah Calle each carded a 37.
Rieger says he stuck to his game and never tried to go out of his comfort zone.
“I was hitting fairways and sticking my approach shots close,” said Rieger, who hit all nine greens in regulation. “I played consistent and stuck to what has always worked. Everything kind of clicked for me out on the course.”
He parred the first seven holes before three-putting No. 8 for his lone bogey on the round.
His low round came a day after he didn’t even score for the Warriors in the semifinal against Pope John Paul II.
Plagued by a 10 on No. 6 during the semifinal at Skippack, Rieger realized it’s all part of the game.
“New round, new results,” he said of his round on Thursday. “That’s what it’s all about. I tried to put the semifinal round behind me and just worry about what I can do to help us win. (Wednesday) I knew I could rely on my teammates to carry us through. (In the finals) I knew I needed to step up and pull my weight.”
Methacton head coach Kevin Flanagan believes the driving force behind the Warriors’ success is a renewed focus.
“These guys are great about erasing the past and worrying about the present,” said Flanagan. “Dan is a perfect example of that. It’s a testament to how hard these guys have worked and how much experience they have gained over the years.”
It’s experience that McHenry, a sophomore at OJR, hopes will help he and his teammates through the next two seasons.
Playing in the second slot and leading the Wildcats at the end of the round, McHenry needed just 16 putts, including a 45-foot birdie putt on the par-4 No. 7.
He started out his round with back-to-back birdies, but then closed it with back-to-back bogeys.
“We put in a lot of hard work just to get here,” he said. “As a team, I think we made a lot of improvements as the season went on. We came up short in the semifinals last year, and lost in the championship this year. Now it’s just about taking that next step.”
Playing alongside McHenry, Sager had six pars and three bogeys on the round.
“I was getting to the green well, I just couldn’t finish out,” said Maddie Sager, who shot a 38 with 19 putts. “There were a couple of putts I’d love to have back. The way I play, I always have to rely on my putter. It kind of let me down this time.”
Sager will look to have her putting back on when she plays in the District 1 Championships back at Gilbertsville Oct. 12 and 13.
The Warriors will look to stay hungry as Vance, Rieger, Feaster, Cinelli will have to shift their focus to districts at Turtle Creek Golf Club on Oct. 12 and 13. McHenry and Opitz will also compete.
