Norristown’s Ryan repeats as PAC individual golf champion

GILBERTSVILLE >> Norristown junior Josh Ryan won the Pioneer Athletic Conference boys individual golf championship for the second year in a row on Monday with a 2-under par 69 at Gilbertsville Golf Club.

Ryan finished four strokes ahead of Methacton senior Nick Martin. The first 18 Class AAA and top two Class AA golfers qualified for the District 1 championships to be held in two weeks.

“I had a goal just to shoot in the 60’s,” said Ryan, who shot a 70 last year to beat his older and since graduated brother Caleb by a stroke. “I knew if I shot in the 60’s, I probably would win. I wanted to give myself as many opportunities as I could to make birdies and capitalize, and I think I did that pretty well today.”

Ryan played in the same group as Martin, who took an early 1-stroke lead with a birdie on the second hole. But Ryan made eight pars and an eagle on the front nine, playing on the first nine holes of the white course.

“It was a solid nine,” said Ryan. “The eagles are always nice. I was hitting my irons really well, giving myself a chance for birdies. I had a 30-foot eagle putt and two 15-foot birdie putts. I birdied the last hole (No. 9 on the red course). It was a nice ending.”

Last year, Ryan went on to a fourth-place district finish, a tie for fifth in the Eastern Regional and a tie for 19th place at states. Since then, he’s been working on his game at Jeffersonville Golf Club.

“They’re a great group of guys there,” he said. “I’m going a little bit farther and my short game has been a lot better. My short game has saved a lot of strokes. And my irons have been a lot better this year too.”

Last year, Martin placed in a tie for third with the same score of 73.

“Obviously, Josh Ryan is a great player,” he said. “The best player won today. I wanted to put my best foot forward and see what I could do.”

Martin did not make it past districts last season, despite shooting rounds of 75 and 76, and has a goal of making it to states this time.

“I think we have the toughest district in the state,” he added. “You have two days that are mentally grueling and grinding.”

Owen J. Roberts placed two golfers in the top five on Monday. Christian Brofft finished in third place with a 74 and Conrad Benford tied Spring-Ford’s Nate Pierce for fourth with a 76.

Six players shot an 84 and were involved in a playoff for spots 15 through 18 and a Class AAA district berth.

Pope John Paul II’s Paul Brady tied for fourth place with a 76 and will be the top Class AA seed from the PAC in district play at Turtle Creek Golf Course in Limerick on October 7 and 8.

“My goal is to try and win every stage,” said Ryan. “The top five in each stage is always good. Keep it under par as much as I can and not too many mistakes.”

PAC Boys Individual Golf Championship

At Gilbertsville GC (par 71)
District 1 Class AAA qualifiers
1. Josh Ryan, Norristown, 69
2. Nick Martin, Methacton, 73
T-3. Christian Brofft, Owen J. Roberts, 74
T-4. Conrad Benford, Owen J. Roberts, 76
T-4. Nate Pierce, Spring-Ford, 76
T-6. John Engle, Boyertown, 77
T-6. Luke Watson, Spring-Ford, 77
8. Jeff Cooper, Methacton, 78
T-9. Ryan Horenci, Perkiomen Valley, 80
T-9. Ryan Jasudowich, Phoenixville, 80
T-9. Mike Romano, Norristown, 80
T-12. Kyle Resuta, Phoenixville, 81
T-12. Brandon Staniszewski, Boyertown, 81
14. Nick Parr, Owen J. Roberts, 82
*T-15. Alex Johns, Spring-Ford, 84
*T-15. Bryan Maguire, Phoenixville, 84
*T-15. Steven Rinda, Pottsgrove, 84
*T-15. Mitch Thompson, Methacton, 84
*involved in a 6-way playoff for the last four qualifying spots
District 1 Class AA qualifiers
Paul Brady, Pope John Paul II, 76
Alex White, Pope John Paul II, 83.