McGraw, Koshko right at home as they are the respective boys, girls Philly Junior Tour winners at Penn State

 

   The Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour staged a two-day Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS) event last weekend at the Penn State Golf Courses and a couple of local standouts, Luke McGraw, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier as a sophomore at State College last fall, and Madison Koshko, the PIAA Class AA champion as a junior at the Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy, were the respective boys and girls overall winners.

   McGraw and Koshko were undoubtedly a little more familiar with the Blue and White courses at Penn State. The stop at Penn State has gained in importance for players who are hoping to earn a trip to the PIAA Championships in October since the state tournament returned to Penn State in 2022.

   The JGS events offer points to top finishers that can earn him or her some status on some of the bigger junior circuits, most notably the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA).

   The Philly Junior Tour broke down its usual 16-to-18 and 13-to-15 divisions, so I’ll round up those divisions while referring to the overall 13-to-18 scoring.

   Pretty sure the weather was still a little shaky for Saturday’s opening round with wind and some occasional rain showers.

   But it certainly didn’t bother McGraw as he ripped off a sizzling 6-under 66 at the White Course, a round that included eight birdies.

   After making birdies at the third, sixth and eighth holes, McGraw went back-to-back with birdies at 10 and 11 before adding a birdie at 15 and again going back-to-back with birdies at 17 and 18.

   McGraw had eight pars on his scorecard and toured the incoming nine at the White Course in 4-under 32.

   In Sunday’s second round, McGraw made birdies at the fifth, 10^th and 14^th holes and had 10 pars on his card as he struggled, compared to his opening round, to a 4-over 76 on the Blue Course that gave him a 2-under 142 total that left him atop the 16-to-18 division and the overall standings.

   McGraw’s closest pursuer in the overall standings was Logan McGinn, the South Williamsport phenom who carded even-par 72s at both the White Course Saturday and the Blue Course Sunday that left him two shots behind McGraw in second place and in first place in the 13-to-15 division with an even-par 144 total.

   Caleb Walsh, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier as a junior at Southern Lehigh last fall, was the runnerup to McGraw in the 16-to-18 division and shared third place in the overall scoring with Callen Edmonston of Thurmont, Md., the runnerup to McGinn in the 13-to-15 division, as each landed on 1-over 145.

   Walsh was four shots behind McGraw after opening with a 2-under 70 at the White Course. Like McGraw, Walsh ripped off eight birdies at the White Course. After making a birdie at the sixth hole, Walsh had three in a row at nine, 10 and 11. He kept it up on the rest of the White Course’s incoming nine with birdies at the 13^th and 15^th holes before going back-to-back to complete his round with birdies at 17 and 18.

   Walsh had five pars on his card as he matched McGraw’s 4-under 32 on the back nine.

   Walsh made back-to-back birdies on the 11^th and 12^th holes and had 10 pars on his card on his way to a 3-over 75 on the Blue Course in Sunday’s second round to finish three shots behind McGraw at 1-over.

   Four players finished in a tie for third place in the 16-to-18 division and in a tie for sixth overall with a 3-over 147 total, including Unionville junior Charlie Barrickman, a two-time PIAA Class AAA qualifier, Greg Kriz, an Oreland resident and a sophomore on the St. Joseph’s Prep golf team, Brady Wager, a junior on the State College golf team, and Kaden Schuette of Independence, Ohio.

   Barrickman had the best round of the day in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course as he made birdies at the fifth, seventh, ninth, 12^th, 15^th and 18^th holes and had nine pars on his card on his way to a sparkling 3-under 69.

   Barrickman made birdies at the sixth, 10^th and 18^th holes and had eight pars on his card as he struggled a little in the difficult conditions of the opening round with a 6-over 78 at the White Course.

   Kriz was coming off a Philly Junior Tour victory at Regents’ Glen Country Club in York. He had an eagle at the par-5 ninth hole, made birdies at five and 12 and had 11 pars on his card, including five straight pars to finish up his round, as he matched par with a 72 at the Blue Course in Sunday’s second round to join the group at 3-over.

   Kriz made birdies at the second and 10^th holes and had 11 pars on his card on his way to an opening round of 3-over 75 at the White Course.

   Wager and McGraw were teammates on a State College team that finished in third place in the PIAA Class AAA team competition at the White Course last fall.

   Wager got off to a good start as he made a birdie at the second hole, went back-to-back with birdies at six and seven and again at 10 and 11 and added two more birdies at 13 and 18 on his way to a 2-under 70 at the White Course. Wager had seven pars on his card.

   Wager struggled a little in Sunday’s second round with birdies at the ninth and 12^th holes to go with the 11 pars on his card as he closed with a 5-over 77 on the Blue Course.

   Schuette had the same splits that Wager had as he made birdies on the third, ninth, 10^th, 13^th and 17^th holes and had 11 pars on his card on his way to a solid opening round of 2-under 70 at the White Course.

   Schuette did make some birdies in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course, six of them at the first, fifth, ninth, 12^th, 13^th and 15^th holes, but only had three pars on his card on his way to a 5-over 77.

   Three of District One’s top returning players, Lower Merion junior Seiji Sako, a two-time PIAA Class AAA qualifier, Downingtown West sophomore Ian Larsen, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier last fall, and Anestis Kalderemtzis, a junior on the West Chester Rustin team that finished in a tie for fifth place in the PIAA Class AAA team competition last fall, finished in a tie for seventh place among the older guys and in a tie for 10^th in the overall standings with Ian Rotto, a freshman on the Kennett golf team from the 13-to-15 division, as each landed on 4-over 148.

   Sako added a 3-over 75 in the second round at the Blue Course to his opening round of 1-over 73 in the opening round at the White Course. Larsen opened with a 3-over 75 at the White Course and added a 1-over 73 in the second round on the Blue Course. Kalderemtzis matched Sako’s splits, opening with a 1-over 73 at the White Course before adding a 3-over 75 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course.

   Andrew Brendlinger, a junior on the Perkiomen Valley golf team, and Enzo Allain of Basking Ridge, N.J. rounded out the top 10 in the 16-to-18 division as they finished in a tie for 10^th place, each ending up with a 5-over 149 total.

   Brendlinger matched par in the opening round with a solid 72 at the White Course before struggling a little in Sunday’s second round with a 5-over 77 on the Blue Course. Allain added a 1-over 73 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to his opening round of 4-over 76 on the White Course.

   The 13-year-old McGinn is a Class of 2030 competitor, so he’s still more than a year away from starting his high school career, but he has been a solid competitor in the junior ranks.

   McGinn made birdies at the fifth and 14^th holes and had 14 pars on his scorecard, including eight pars in a row from the sixth through the 13^th holes, in matching par with a 72 in Sunday’s final round at the Blue Course.

   In the opening round at the White Course, the steady McGinn made birdies at the third and 18^th holes and had 14 pars, including a string of seven in a row from seven through 12, on his card in another even-par 72.

   McGinn’s even-par total left him at the top of the leaderboard in the 13-to-15 division and in second place in the overall scoring.

   Edmonston made birdies on the first, ninth and 12^th holes and had 12 pars on his card, including six straight pars to close out his round as he matched par in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course with a 72 to finish a shot behind McGinn in second place among the younger guys and in a tie for third in the overall scoring with Walsh from the 16-to-18 division as they landed on 1-over 145.

   Edmonston made birdies at the sixth, eighth and 15^th holes and had 11 pars on his card on his way to a 1-over 73 in the opening round on the White Course.

   Logan Turner of Berwyn was solid at Penn State as he made back-to-back birdies at the second and third holes, added a birdie at seven, went back-to-back again with birdies at 10 and 11, and had two more birdies at 15 and 18 as he had the lead in the 13-to-15 division following an opening round of 2-under 70 at the White Course.

   Turner also had six pars on his card in that opening round at the White Course.

   Turner made birdies at the fifth and ninth holes and had 11 pars on his card as he struggled a little with a 4-over 76 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course, finishing in third place in the 13-to-15 division and alone in fifth place in the overall chase with a 2-over 146 total.

   Rotto, the freshman on the Kennett golf team, was the final player in the 13-to-15 age group to finish among the top 10 in the overall standings as he matched par in the opening round at the White Course with a 72 and added a 4-over 76 in Sunday’s final round at the Blue Course to end up in fourth place among the younger guys and in a tie for 10^th in the overall standings with the quartet of players from the 16-to-18 division, all of whom landed on 4-over 148.

   Colby Komancheck, a sophomore on the Malvern Prep golf team, and Roger Rice of Chatham, N.J. finished in a tie for fifth place in the 13-to-15 division, each ending up a shot behind Rotto with a 5-over 149 total.

   Komancheck, who has pair of top-five finishes in the Bert Linton Invitational for the Inter-Ac League’s individual championship in each of the last two falls, added a 1-over 73 in Sunday’s final round at the Blue Course with an opening round of 4-over 76 at the White Course.

   Rice added a 2-over 74 in Sunday’s final round at the Blue Course to his opening round of 3-over 75 at the White Course to join Komancheck at 5-over.

   It was four shots back to Onyu Park of Blue Bell as he finished in seventh place among the younger guys with a 153 total. Park added a 4-over 76 in Sunday’s final round at the Blue Course to his opening round of 5-over 77 at the White Course.

  Gus Stoltzfus, a sophomore on the Avon Grove golf team, was three shots behind Park in eighth place in the 13-to-15 division with a 156 total. Stoltzfus opened with a 4-over 76 at the White Course before adding an 80 at the Blue Course in Sunday’s final round.

   Chase Andrews, a sophomore on the Souderton golf team, and Quinn Gallagher of Bryn Mawr rounded out the top 10 in the 13-to-15 division as they finished in a tie for 10^th place, each landing on 157.

   Andrews added a 7-over 79 in the second round at the Blue Course to his opening round of 6-over 78 at the White Course. After opening with a 5-over 77 at the White Course, Gallagher added an 80 in Sunday’s final round at the Blue Course.

   It was quite a battle between Koshko and Manheim Township junior Piper Smith, who finished in a tie for seventh place in the PIAA Class AAA Championship last fall, for the overall girls crown.

   Smith made birdies on the second, third, sixth and 18^th holes and had 13 pars on her scorecard, including a string of six pars in a row from 12 through 17, as she opened with a sparkling 3-under 69 on the White Course.

   Koshko made birdies on the fifth, eighth, 16^th and 17^th holes and had 11 pars on her card as she trailed Smith by two shots with a solid 1-under 71 in the opening round on the White Course.

   Koshko, however, turned the tables on Smith on the outgoing nine at the Blue Course in Sunday’s second round when she erupted with five straight birdies at the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth holes while touring the front nine in 4-under 32.

   Koshko added birdies at the 11^th and 15^th holes and had nine pars on her card in a sizzling 5-under 67 that gave her a 6-under 138 total.

   Smith opened her second round at the Blue Course with back-to-back birdies at the first and second holes, added birdies at six and eight and went back-to-back again with birdies at 13 and 14. She had eight pars on her card on her way to a 1-under 71 that left her two shots behind Koshko with a 4-under 140 total.

   Koshko and Smith were 1-2, respectively, in the girls 16-to-18 division and in the overall scoring.

   A couple of girls who qualified for the PIAA Class AAA Championship as sophomores last fall, Holidaysburg’s Crosby Denis and Conestoga’s Jill Burks, finished in a tie for third place in the 16-to-18 division and shared fourth in the overall scoring as each landed on 11-over 155.

   Denis, a two-time District Six Class AAA champion, made back-to-back birdies at the ninth and 10^th holes and had 10 pars on her card, including five straight to finish off her round, as she recorded a 4-over 76 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course.

   In her opening round at the White Course, Denis made birdies at the second, seventh and 17^th holes and had nine pars on her card, seven of them on the outgoing nine, which she toured in 2-under 34.

   Jill Burks was the medalist among the girls in the Central League Championship last fall at Turtle Creek Golf Course and finished in a tie for third place in the District One Class AAA Championship, which started at Raven’s Claw Golf Club and concluded at the Turtle.

   Jill Burks got off to a good start on the White Course as she made birdies at the third and 18^th holes and had 13 pars on her card, including a run of 10 straight pars from eight through 17, on her way to a 1-over 73.

   But she struggled in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course as she made back-to-back birdies at the 11^th and 12^th holes and had six pars on her card on her way to an 82.

   Jill Burks’ Central League rival, Radnor junior Elayna Fanelli, finished alone in fifth place among the older girls and sixth in the overall standings with a 156 total. Fanelli, like Burks a two-time PIAA Class AAA qualifier, added a 5-over 77 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to her opening round of 7-over 79 at the White Course.

   Naaz Mehta, who wrapped up a standout scholastic career at Council Rock North by earning a trip to the PIAA Class AAA Championship last fall, was 10 shots behind Fanelli in sixth place in the 16-to-18 division with a 161 total.

   Naaz Mehta was also the last player from the 16-to-18 division to finish among the top 10 in the overall scoring as she finished in a tie for 10^th place with Conestoga freshman Nicolette Bottos from the 13-to-15 division.

   After opening with an 83 at the White Course, Naaz Mehta bounced back with a 6-over 78 in Sunday’s final round at the Blue Course.

   Kyla Quimby, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier as a junior at Wilson West Lawn last fall, finished two shots behind Naaz Mehta in seventh place among the older girls with a 163 total. Quimby added an 82 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to her opening-round 81 at the White Course.

   Corinne McReynolds, a sophomore on the Conestoga girls team, was a shot behind Quimby in eighth place in the 16-to-18 division with a 164 total. McReynolds added an 83 in the second round at the Blue Course to her opening-round 81.

   Sonia Patel, a sophomore on the Perkiomen Valley girls golf team, finished in ninth place among the older girls with a 174 total. Patel added an 85 in Sunday’s second round on the Blue Course to her opening-round 89.

   Andi Jones, a junior on the Cheltenham golf team, rounded out the top 10 in the 16-to-18 division as she opened with a 95 on the White Course and added a 90 in the second round at the Blue Course for a 185 total that left her alone in 10^th place.

   Tsai Yan Chiang’s road trip to Penn State from Holmdel, N.J. resulted in a Philly Junior Tour victory as she finished at the top of the leaderboard in the 13-to-15 division and was alone in third place in the overall scoring with a 10-over 154 total.

   Yan Chiang closed with a solid 4-over 76 on the Blue Course as she made a birdie on the 15^th hole and had 12 pars on her scorecard, including five straight pars to conclude her round.

   Yan Chiang made birdies on the ninth and 11^th holes and had nine pars on her card in an opening round of 6-over 78.

   Cardinal O’Hara freshman Alaina Carson and York Suburban sophomore Vivienne Powers, both PIAA Class AAA qualifiers last fall, finished three shots behind Yan Chiang to share second place in the 13-to-15 division and end up in a tie for seventh in the overall scoring, as each landed on 157.

   Carson and Powers were among a group of four players who finished in a tie for third place in the PIAA Class AAA Championship last fall. Pretty sure Carson’s tie for third place was the best finish ever at states for a Catholic League girl.

   Carson made a birdie on the 15^th hole and had 12 pars on her card in fashioning 5-over 77 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course. She made a birdie on the 17^th hole and had eight pars on her card in an opening-round 80 at the White Course.

   Powers made birdies on the ninth and 13^th holes and had six pars on her card on her way to an 80 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course. Powers made a birdie on the fourth hole and had 13 pars on her card, eight of them while touring the outgoing nine in 1-under 35, as she opened with a 5-over 77 on the White Course.

   Kenna Heckman, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier as a freshman at Ephrata last fall, added an 80 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to her opening-round 79 at the White Course to finish in fourth place among the younger girls and ninth in the overall standings with a 159 total.

   Conestoga’s Bottos added an 80 in Sunday’s final round at the Blue Course to her opening-round 81 at the White Course as she finished in fifth place in the 13-to-15 division and in a tie for 10^th in the overall scoring with Council Rock North’s Naaz Mehta with a 161 total.

   Jill Burks, McReynolds and Bottos were members of a Conestoga team that was the District One Class AAA runnerup and finished in fourth place in the PIAA Class AAA team competition.

   Noor Mehta, another member of Newtown’s Team Mehta, and Chloe Donohue of Moorestown, N.J. finished in a tie for sixth place in the 13-to-15 division as each landed on 162, a shot behind Bottos.

   Noor Mehta added an 82 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to her opening-round 80 at the White Course. Donohue opened with a solid 5-over 77 at the White Course, but struggled a little in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course as she closed with an 85.

   Megan Choi, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier as a freshman at Harriton last fall, finished in eighth place among the younger girls as she added an 81 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to her opening-round 82 at the White Course for a 163 total.

   Madison Cabot of Newtown added an 88 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to her opening-round 85 at the White Course to finish in ninth place in the 13-to-15 division with a 173 total.

   Rounding out the top 10 in the 13-to-15 division was Olivia Kushko, another member of State College’s Team Kushko, as she finished four shots behind Madison Cabot in 10^th place with a 177 total after adding a 91 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to her opening-round 86 at the White Course.

   Niko Muego of Bryn Mawr and Jonathan Thomas of Landenberg shared the top spot in the field of boys 12-and-under nine-holers as each finished with a total of 8-over 80 over two days at Penn State.

   Muego, coming off a pair of runnerup finishes in Junior Tour stops at Out Door Country Club and Regents’ Glen in York, had three pars on his scorecard in a 5-over 41 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course.

   He had grabbed a share of the lead by making seven pars, including six straight to close out his round, on his way to a 3-over 39 at the White Course.

   Thomas closed with a birdie on the ninth hole and had five pars on his card in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course that enabled him to catch Muego for a share of first place with a 3-over 39.

   Thomas had five pars on his card, including a run of four straight pars from the third through the sixth holes, on his way to a 5-over 41 in his opening round at the White Course.

   Charles Rutman of Ellicott City, Md. finished a shot behind Muego and Thomas in third place with a total of 81 over two rounds at Penn State.

   Rutman had six pars on his card on his way to a 4-over 40 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course. Rutman opened his first round at the White Course with a birdie at the first hole and had three pars on his card on his way to a 5-over 41.

   Joe Bowers of Lewisburg added a 42 in Sunday’s final round at the Blue Course to his opening-round 41 at the White Course as he finished in fourth place with an 83.

   James Wilson of Wilmington, Del. and Damien Dollard of Cinnaminson, N.J. finished in a tie for fifth place, each landing on 86.

   Wilson had a pair of 43s over the White and Blue courses. Dollard had a share of the lead with Muego after opening with a 3-over 39 at the White Course before adding a 47 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course.

   Aiden Jose of Brick, N.J. added a 43 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to his opening-round 45 at the White Course as he took seventh place with an 88.

   Rounding out the field in the boys 12-and-under division was Benjamin Gangemi of Downingtown as he added a 48 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course to his opening-round 46 at the White Course to finish in eighth place with a total of 94.

   Katelyn Burks, another member of Paoli’s Team Burks, bested the field of girls 12-and-under nine-holers with a solid total of 84.

   Katelyn Burks made birdies on the first and sixth holes and had four pars on her scorecard in a solid opening round of 1-over 37 on the White Course. She had four pars on her card in a 47 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course.

   Trisha Lobo, a rising star from Collegeville, had three pars on her card on her way to a 43 in Sunday’s second round of the Blue Course as she finished four shots behind Katelyn Burks in second place with an 88. Lobo closed out her opening round at the White Course with a par at the first hole on her way to a 45.

   Charlotte Cabot, another member of Newtown’s Team Cabot, rounded out a short field in the girls12-and-under division as she finished in third place with a 118. Charlotte Cabot had two pars on her way to a 55 in Sunday’s second round at the Blue Course after she had opened with a 63 on the White Course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lee comes up with the clincher as Oklahoma State defeats Virginia to claim its 12th national championship

 

   It’s funny with programs like Oklahoma State. It’s like winning is in their blood.

   The Cowboys entered this week’s NCAA Championship at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s North Course in Carlsbad, Calif. with 11 national titles to their credit. Make it 12.

   With Eric Lee, a sophomore from Fullerton, Calif. and No. 53 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), coming up big for the second day in a row, Big 12 champion Oklahoma State claimed a 4-1 victory over Atlantic Coast Conference champion Virginia in the NCAA Championship’s Final Match Wednesday.

   It was the fifth straight tournament victory for the Cowboys and their seventh for the wraparound 2024-2025 season.

   The day was much like Oklahoma State’s season. The Cowboys started slowly, falling behind the talented Cavaliers in every match.

   But they came on strong and when Lee bumped a chip from some gnarly grass to the right of the par-5 18^th green to six feet, Virginia’s Josh Duangmanee, a sophomore from Fairfax, Va. and No. 81 in the WAGR, conceded a 2-up victory to Lee and Oklahoma State had the point that clinched its 12^th national championship.

   “They are just tough and have confidence,” Oklahoma State head coach Alan Bratton, himself a Cowboy standout in the mid-1990s, told The Associated Press. “They have been resilient all year. We played a poor first round at the (Urbana) regional and they didn’t bat an eye.

   “We didn’t get off to the best start here in the first round of stroke play, but they just kept inching up the board and ultimately won the three matches like you need to.”

   Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson, a fiery freshman from Sweden, ran his match-play record at La Costa to 3-0 with a 3 and 1 victory over Virginia’s Maxi Puregger, a freshman from Spain, to put the first point on the board for Oklahoma State.

   Gaven Lane, a sophomore from Argyle, Texas, found himself 2-down after seven holes to Virginia’s Paul Chang, a senior from China and No. 71 in the WAGR.

   But Lane evened the match by taking the eighth and ninth holes and then rattled off four straight wins from the 12^th through the 15^th holes to close out a 4 and 3 victory and put a second point on the board for Oklahoma State.

   A day earlier, Eric Lee, who transferred to Oklahoma State after a year at California, had buried a five-foot putt for par to beat Mississippi’s Cohen Trolio, a junior from West Point, Miss., on the 19^th hole of their match and send the Cowboys to Wednesday’s Final Match.

   Eric Lee was even with Virginia’s Duangmanee through 16 holes and faced a 25-foot putt for birdie at the par-4 17^th hole. Bang! Eric Lee’s putt looked good off the club face and his birdie gave him a 1-up lead heading to the par-5 finishing hole.

   Duangmanee blocked his tee shot to the edge of the pond right of the fairway, but was able to gouge it out to the fairway. After striping his drive, Eric Lee blocked a 3-wood into the junk, hole high right of the green.

   Duangmanee found the putting surface, but he needed to win the hole to extend the match.

   Eric Lee drew a decent lie in the penalty area. Rather than try to launch it high on the green, though, Eric Lee, in a total feel shot, bumped it out of the grass and the ball trundled on the green.

   Duangmanee was going to do no better than halve the hole and that wasn’t good enough and he conceded the match.

   Virginia’s lone point came from Ben James, a junior from Milford, Conn. and No. 3 in the WAGR, as he claimed a 3 and 2 victory in a heavyweight showdown with Oklahoma State’s Preston Stout, a sophomore from Richardson, Texas and No. 20 in the WAGR.

   The final point was awarded to Oklahoma State’s Ethan Fang, a sophomore from Plano, Texas and No. 15 in the WAGR who held a 1-up lead through 15 holes over Bryan Lee, a senior from Fairfax, Va. and No. 28 in the WAGR.

   Bryan Lee was locked in as the anchor man for Virginia. He had come through with a win that gave the Cavaliers a victory over North Carolina and the program’s first ACC title.

   If it came down to that match, Bowen Sargent, the Tony Markel Family head coach at Virginia, had complete faith that Bryan Lee would have pulled it out.

   But Eric Lee made sure it didn’t get that far and Oklahoma State, for the first time in seven seasons and the 12^th time in the long and storied history of this championship, was the national champion.