Downingtown West’s Gross rolls to District 1 championship
LIMERICK >> Defending PIAA champion Nicholas Gross ran away from the field, winning the District 1-3A boys golf championship by nine strokes Tuesday at Turtle Creek Golf Course. The Downingtown West senior shot a 14-under par 130 for the two-day event.
The top 18 finishers advance to the PIAA Tournament next Monday and Tuesday at Penn State.
The West team also advances after winning the title with a score of 295 on Tuesday. Spring-Ford golfers bounced back from a rough individual round on Monday to place second as a team on Tuesday with a total of 299.
Gross was up on eventual runner-up Sam Feeney by three strokes after shooting a 6-under 66 Monday at Turtle Creek and then bettered that with a 64 on Tuesday.
“It was good golf the entire way,” said Gross, who had six birdies on Monday and eight more on Tuesday. “Both days I hit the ball well and made enough putts. And I had no bogeys. It was good to do that. It was the first time in awhile I’ve done that.”
And despite his large lead, Gross stayed focused all the way.
“We had the team competition today,” he said. “I just wanted to keep playing well so the team could do well.”
Gross will be making his third straight appearance. He finished third as a freshman.
Tyler Debusschere (Strath Haven) finished third, Noah Moelter (Central Bucks South) placed fourth and Charles Feraco (Central Bucks West), Eli Shah (Penncrest) and Cyrus Parvizi (Harriton) tied for fifth.
Senior Feraco (two-day total of 146) had made it to district play the past two years, but hadn’t qualified for states until now.
“I really wanted to do it, just for my last year,” he said. “I would have been really disappointed if I hadn’t made it to states one year. I got 3-under through five. I think at that point I was only two or three behind Gross. But you either win or you lose. I’m definitely satisfied with it.”
No Pioneer Athletic Conference players had made the cut on Monday that included the top 30 finishers. PAC champion Jaden Minter had come the closest, missing out by only one stroke with a score of 78. But the Spring-Ford senior Minter recovered with an even-par 72 on Tuesday to lead the Rams. In fact, if he had made the cut, his total of 150 would have put him in eighth place for the tournament. Teammate Charlie Ferrise also carded a 72 to go with a 76 by Chris deHaan and a 79 by Jake Blackmore.
Pope John Paul II tied for 10th place with Jack Brennan shooting a 77 on Tuesday to lead the Golden Panthers.
