WOODCOCK TOWNSHIP — The Meadville boys golf team, despite starting three ninth-graders, walked away from the District 10 Class 3A Boys Golf Championship on Tuesday as district champions.
Meadville’s 316 edged McDowell’s 336 in the two-team race at The Country Club of Meadville.
“It’s a pretty great achievement. We start a really young team,” Meadville head coach Fred Garvey said. “We started three freshmen all year and you don’t know what you’re gonna get on this big stage.”
Leading the way for Meadville were Robert and Patrick Mahoney. The brothers each carded a 77 to pace the Bulldogs. Robert, a senior and the lone upperclassman on the team, made the cut after missing it by one stroke last year.
“I’m happy with how I played. It wasn’t the best season I’ve had, but I’ve started to pick it up at the end here. I tried to carry the momentum into today,” Robert Mahoney said. “I made some putts, made some good swings and some bad swings, but I was able to get it in the barn.”
Patrick Mahoney, a freshman, walked off the course just a few minutes after his older brother. After they realized they were even on the day, the Mahoney’s shared a quick embrace before getting back into some brotherly competitiveness.
“I hit the ball well. I missed a few shots I could have made, but overall I’m happy with a 77,” Patrick Mahoney said. “It’s always fun seeing what the other shoots and see if we can beat them. It’s a fun rivalry we have for sure. It makes us better.”
Older brother agreed the back-and-forth is all in good faith.
“It’s constant back-and-forth, constant banter, but it’s all fun and we always root for each other,” Robert Mahoney said.
Another freshman, Luke Ferry, was next with a 78.
“Today (Tuesday) was shaky. I left a lot of shots out there and could have played a lot better,” Ferry said. “But, we’re in position for tomorrow (Wednesday). I just need to play better. Hit the ball better and putt better, that’s it.”
Freshman Elliot Konetsky turned in an 84 and sophomore Michael Mangine had a 98 to round out the scoring for Meadville. Meadville’s title was the program’s first since 2015 when the Bulldogs beat Cathedral Prep by one stroke.
Meadville’s home course is The Country Club of Meadville and the players certainly spend a lot of time playing there. According to Garvey, that only makes the pressure of doing well at the district tournament even greater.
“Some say it’s an advantage, I say we shoot those numbers away too. But there is some pressure here. They’re expected to play well here,” Garvey said. “For Luke, you walk out and your dad is running it (Luke’s father, Mike Ferry, is the club pro). It’s an added weight. The Mahoneys grew up here basically.
“But, it was a really fun year. Great kids, great families and great support at a wonderful place.”
For the individual tournament, the cut line was 83. The Mahoneys, Ferry and Konetsky will return to the course this morning to conclude the two-day competition. The Mahoneys and Ferry will play together with a 9:50 tee time while Konetsky will tee off at 9:40.
Regardless of who wins today’s event, Meadville will advance as a team to a Class 3A sub-regional tournament with Districts 5, 6, 8 and 9. The tournament will be held at The Country Club of Meadville on Tuesday. The winner will advance to the state tournament later this month at Penn State’s Blue and White courses.
The top two individuals from today’s tournament will compete at the PIAA tournament.
“They’ve competed against each other all summer. I expect it to be no different today,” Garvey said. “They play each other all the time and put the time in. Usually when you put the time in, good things happen. I’m excited to see what happens. All three are playing really well and Elliot can get it going too and could jump up there. I am just thrilled for Robert, a senior who missed day two last year with an 81.”
Saegertown takes second in 2A
In Class 2A, the Saegertown boys golf team placed second. The Panthers’ total of 319 was eight strokes behind Cathedral Prep.
“I had dreams of the greatest upset in the world and it was close. Eight strokes from Prep, I am very proud of my team,” Saegertown head coach Brian Hanley said. “The good news is I don’t lose anybody. These guys are all coming back.”
Saegertown freshman Mason Gjovik fired a 70 to pace the Panthers. Fellow freshman Tyler Cherpak carded an 80. Ryder Bailey (83), Everett Gardner (86) and Mason Allio (88) were all sub-90 on the day.
“I am very pleased. All five of our kids shot below their average and what else could I ask for,” Hanley said. “I told the guys ‘You play here a lot, just do what you do.’ If you told me we’d shoot a 319 at the beginning of the day I would have called you a liar.”
In the individual tournament, the cut line was set at 79. Wilmington’s Santino Toscano had the low for the day at 67.
Gjovik’s 70 will place him with Toscano, Fairview’s Anthony Laboda and Cathedral Prep’s Cooper Wierzchowksi in the 9:30 tee time.
“I’m happy with how I ended today (Tuesday). I started pretty rough but ended strong so I’m happy about that,” Gjovik said. “I just need to continue the way I played on the back and hopefully I’ll qualify for states.”
The top eight finishers in today’s Class 2A competition will move on to the state tournament.
Also representing Crawford County today will be Conneaut junior Charlie Woods. Woods’ first-round score of 77 was tied for the sixth-lowest round.
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District 10 Boys Class 3A Team Golf Tournament
1. Meadville (316)
Robert Mahoney 77
Patrick Mahoney 77
Luke Ferry 78
Elliot Konetsky 84
Michael Mangine 98
2. McDowell (336)
Ethan Bock 82
Tyler Allen 83
Landon Marsh 85
Diax Bojkic 88
Mike Feretti 86
District 10 Boys Class 3A Golf Tournament
1. Patrick Mahoney, Meadville 77
2. Robert Mahoney, Meadville 77
3. Luke Ferry, Meadville 78
4. Ethan Bock, McDowell 82
5. Tyler Allen, McDowell 83
6. Jordan Cannon, General McLane 83
7. Elliot Konetksy, Meadville 84
8. Conner Zaffino, Warren 84
Cut Line
9. Michael Ferretti, McDowell 86
10. Reid Olsen, Warren 86
11. Matt Caro, General McLane 86
12. Dominic Fracassi, Erie 89
13. Collin Ellis, Warrenn 93
14. Talen Geib, McDowell 95
15. Michael Mangine, Meadville 98
District 10 Boys Class 2A Team Golf Tournament
1. Cathedral Prep (311)
Connor Laird 76
Cooper Wierzchowski 74
Santino Washburn 78
Andrew Costello 83
Joseph Prichard 87
2. Saegertown (318)
Mason Gjovik 70
Tyler Cherpak 80
Ryder Bailey 83
Everett Gardner 86
Mason Allio 88
3. Lakeview (335)
Adam Snyder 82
Lucas Fagley 82
Maddox Bell 79
Cody Fagley 92
Parker Montgomery 112
4. Hickory (335)
Owen Hamelly 80
Aiden Rueberger 77
Grady Kapusta 87
Adam Scott 91
Matt Huff 94
5. Rocky Grove (365)
Dillon Hamilton 86
Aaron Wetjen 90
Haydon Bevier 93
Schiffer Anderson 96
Andrew Schwab 105
District 10 Boys Class 2A Golf Tournament
1. Santino Toscano, Wilmington 67
2. Mason Gjovik, Saegertown 70
3. Anthony Laboda, Fairview 73
4. Cooper Wierzchowski, Cathedral Prep 74
5. Connor Laird, Cathedral Prep 76
6. Charlie Woods, Conneaut 77
7. Aiden Rueberger, Hickory 77
8. Leyton Hassenplug, North East 78
9. Santino Washburn, Cathedral Prep 78
10. Chase Recio, Fairview 78
11. Maddox Bell, Lakeview 79
12. Isaac Allan, Grove City 79
13. Brandon Stubert, Greenville 79
14. Nathan Kneidlinger, Mercyhurst Prep 79
15. Tegan Rucks, Fairview 79
Cut Line
16. Owen Hamelly, Hickory 80
17. Tyler Cherpak, Saegertown 80
18. Morgan Grieco, Union City 80
19. Trent Parkhurst, Union City 80
20. Johnathan Young, West Middlesex 81
21. Colin Cunningham, North East 81
22. Adam Synder, Lakeview 82
23. Will McMahon, Oil City 82
24. Lucas Fagley, Lakeview 82
25. Nico Setterberg, Fort LeBoeuf 83
26. Cody Maun, West Middlesex 83
27. Ryder Bailey, Saegertown 83
28. Jacob Csonka, Greenville 83
29. Will Beckert, Sharon 85
30. Karson Chamberlin, Corry 85
31. LJ McGonigal, Greenville 85
32. Cody Anderson, Wilmington 86
33. Dillon Hamilton, Rocky Grove 86
34. Shane Barnes, Jamestown 86
35. Grady Kapusta, Hickory 87
36. Ty Prince, Franklin 88
37. Danner Babcock, Jamestown 88
38. Joey Zahner, Union City 89
39. Aaron Wetjen, Rocky Grove 90
40. Jacobn Gantz, Corry 90
41. Adam Scott, Hickory 91
42. Ethan Pfleger, Fairview 91
43. Kamdyn Moon, Corry 91
44. Cody Fagley, Lakeview 92
45. Haydon Bevier, Rocky Grove 93
46. Brayden Johnson, Seneca 93
47. Brayden Trimble, Seneca 94
48. Lex Dobosh, Sharon 98
