Wellsboro nips CV in first NTL match.
By: Chris Manning | Towanda Daily Review | August 22, 2018
2018 NTL and District 4 News
WAVERLY, N.Y. — Last year Wellsboro lost to Cowanesque Valley by 1-stroke to open the season at Shepard Hills.
The Hornets got their revenge this year as they used a team effort to edge CV by six strokes (333-339) to sweep the opening NTL match of the 2018 season. Athens (391) was third followed by Sayre (398), NP-Mansfield (404) and Towanda (418).
"It feels really good," Wellsboro coach Steve Macensky remarked. "We've been battling CV for two years now and last year we came here and we tied them, and in the tie-breaker we lost by one stroke so it just feels good to finally get a win; a good solid win and see our third and fourth guys players better than they did last year."
CV's Tanner Adriance earned medalist honors with a 76 as the Indians went 1-2 but the Hornets took the next four spots with Ben Barnett (81), Joseph Propheta (83), Brandyn Tuttle (84) and Ty Morral (85).
"Ben didn't have his best day and Brandyn was off a little towards the end," said Macensky. "Its going to drive Ben, there's no doubt about it, the fact that he let a few strokes slip away on the last hole, he'll recover from that."
Cowanesque's Austin Outman (79) took second as it was all blue and green in the top six. Towanda's Tyler Hawley (86) was seventh while Athens' Nate Kennedy (87) was eighth to round out all the golfers that broke 90.
The format was a little different as the golfers played front nine at Shepard Hills twice due to rough conditions on the back nine because of the bout of ill weather last week. The golfers also had to play through a downpour mid-way through the round which affected play as five of the top eight golfers shot worse the second time through.
Adriance, though, powered through the round as a double-bogey the first time through on seven was his only blemish at the turn. He scored two birdies the second time through but also had two bogeys, including one on the final hole, finish at plus-2 for the day.
"It felt pretty good," he said. "The rain kind of through me off at first but I kind of pushed through it and struck the ball well, putted really well and chipped really well."
The senior noted that playing the nine holes twice was different but it didn't faze him.
"I think it helped me because I got to play the same shots over again and I knew what to do," he explained.
This was the defending District IV champions first round of the season and he was pleased with how he did.
"It felt pretty good," he said. "I was a little nervous at first but nothing different."
His teammate Outman, a regional qualifier last season, led through the turn with a 1-over 38 but two bogies and a double pushed him two 41 the second time through.
Barnett, also a regional qualifier a year ago, had an eagle on the day but also notched five bogies. His teammates Propheta and Tuttle both had two birdies in the round while Morral carded one.
Hawley and Kennedy, who was also a regional qualifier a year ago, each had one birdie.
Also for the Hornets Brock Hamblin shot 92 while Daniel Mitchell notched a 107 while for CV Tyler Vargeson carded a 90, Christian Kemp had a 94, Kurtis Easton shot 96 and Joel Heck had a 99.
For Athens after Kennedy Brady Smith had a 92, Dylan Krise shot 104, Kyler Setzer scored a 108, Chase Minnick carded a 113 and Aiden Westbrook scored a 121.
James Esposito led Sayre with a 90 while Gavin Blair shot 96. Cannon VanDuzier scored a 100, Noah Bennett and Jon Cron each had a 112 and Dylan Seck carded a 125.
Curtis Craig and Alex Stein each scored 99 to lead NP-Mansfield. Also for the Tigers R.J. Farrell had a 102, Reece White shot 104, Ethan Weiskopff carded a 111 and Jacob Green finished with a 123.
For Towanda after Hawley Dawsan Manning shot 90, Kourtney Dunn finished with a 109 and Ryan Elliott had a 133.
Troy's Hayden Dewey scored a 93.
This was a big win for Wellsboro in more ways than one. Not only do they start the season 1-win ahead of CV, the defending league champions, but a schedule change this year can help give them an edge.
Usually CV's home course River Valley is the second match of the season and The Indians are always tough at home. But this year Towanda next Tuesday is the second match and Macensky sees an opportunity to extend their advantage.
"Going to Towanda next instead of Cowanesque Valley's home course is probably an advantage for us," said Macensky. "Keep the momentum going and not have to go to their home course."
Wellsboro is the next to last match of the season and, if all things go to Macensky's plan, they will wrap up a league there later in the year.
"If we can get three wins before we get to our home course we feel we have a decent advantage there just knowing the place," he said.
But don't count CV out yet. They're a veteran team that features two of the top players in the district in their line-up.
"Our one and two guys did good, we just have to get our three and four guys a little lower," explained Adriance. "We'll hang in there."
NOTES: Adriance had 13 pars to lead the field; Outman's 10 was the next closest...Three players had eagles: Barnett and the Athens duo of Minnick and Smith ... Dunn, the lone female in the field and a regional qualifier in 2017, had three pars on the day...The field had a total of 22 birdies.
