Falcons’ Bashour second
FARMINGTON – Even though 16 of the 40 golfers playing in the WPIAL Boys Individual Golf Championship at Mystic Rock Golf Course Monday earned a berth into the state finals, there was a lot of scoreboard watching in the waning daylight as the final groups finished. Brownsville’s Ryan Bashour turned some heads, and broke some hearts, when he finished in the third from last group with a 4-over-par 76 to finish in a four-way tie for second place.
Pine-Richland’s Mike Van Sickle repeated his title from 2003 with a 75.
Geibel Catholic’s James McGrath, or at least his mother and Geibel coach Joel Hood, cast a wary eye to the computerized scoreboard as the foursomes finished, but the junior advanced to his first PIAA Championship with a 6-over-par 78.
Jefferson-Morgan’s Chad Kokoska wasn’t as fortunate. The junior missed the cut by two strokes, shooting an 81 after lipping out a pair of par putts on the final two holes.
Bashour and North Allegheny’s Will Corbett, who also shot a 76, were the only two golfers in the field to shoot an even-par 36 on the front nine, with the Falcon carding two bogeys (Nos. 3-5) and two birdies (No. 2-8).
The momentum slowed for the Brownsville senior with bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11, and a three-putt bogey on No. 14.
“I hit a good drive and was less than 100 yards in, then I three-putted,” Bashour said.
Despite the bumps in his round, the day was a rather consistent one for Bashour.
“I hit my irons pure. I hit my driver pure over the past two weeks, but today I pulled and pushed some shots,” said Bashour, the first Brownsville golfer to advance to the state finals.
“The key is keeping the ball in play. After the turn I had the low score at 36, so I knew if I stayed around 1-, 2-over on the back I had a shot to win. I wasn’t too concerned about winning. I knew if I played my game I would make (the states).”
Bashour started his day with a pleasant surprise with a royal send off from the high school.
“My coach (Chris McManus) told me I had to go to school this morning. The whole school, the cheerleaders were outside. It was a one-person pep rally. It got me pumped,” said Bashour.
The Falcons also have the opportunity to extend their season with wins in today’s season-ending matches with Uniontown and Waynesburg Central.
“It would be a real spirit booster for all us,” said Bashour. “I want to make the best of my senior year. The team playoffs are a plus. Making the states is super.”
McGrath shot a 37 on the front, but ran into problems on No. 11, a par-5. The junior hit his drive left into the trees, and punched out across the fairway into the water hazard. He finished with a seven. McGrath recouped with a birdie on No. 14, but finished with bogeys on the final three holes.
“I hit a bad driver on No. 16 and had to lay up. It’s a tough green. I three-putted,” explained McGrath. “I flew No. 17 (a par-3) by 20 yards. I chipped to 30-feet and two-putted. No. 18 is a long hole for me. I missed a putt for par.”
McGrath’s driver was faltering on the back with four missed fairways.
“It could’ve been worse. I could’ve shot up to 83,” said McGrath. “I played better on the front nine. I made more putts. I didn’t get a lot of putts to fall on the back.
“Mr. Hood said to play smart. Don’t make mistakes. I was trying to keep to composure, especially after the bad shots I hit today.”
Van Sickle had a 40 on the front, but recovered with the low score on the back of 1-under 35 with a bogey on the final hole. He had three birdies, four bogeys and one double bogey.
“I had a picture with someone shooting a 74 to tie in a playoff,” said Van Sickle. “It’s a very difficult course. The greens are really firm. I won. I can’t not be happy.”
Kokoska grinded out qualifying rounds in the sectional and regional, but couldn’t quite pull through for a trip to the PIAA Championship at York’s Heritage Hills Golf Club on Oct. 25-26.
“I hit the ball bad all day. It was a scramble,” said Kokoska, who had one birdie and 10 bogeys. “I hit my irons terrible. My putting kept me in it. I had so many bad iron shots off the fairway.
“I was 4-over after five holes. The birdie on No. 8 was the only good part of the round.”
Carlynton’s Drew Ellis (76), North Allegheny’s Alex Morse (76) and Mike Turner (79), Shaler’s Mike Hartman (77), Penn Trafford’s Dan Obremski (77), Upper St. Clair’s Robert Shogry (77), Peters Township’s Jim Ellis (78), South Fayette’s Jim Markovitz (78), Franklin Regional’s Don Thomas (78), Central Catholic’s Zach Johns (79), Greensburg Salem’s Matt Rebitch (79), and Gateway’s Jeff Varga (79) also qualified for the state championship.