Villanova wraps up season; Berman completes solid freshman campaign

   We did manage to get in some highlights from the Big East Tournament in Wednesday’s print edition of the Daily Times, but it’s worth expanding on a little.

   It was a bit of a disappointing spring for Villanova, which finished last in the team chase at Callawassie Island Golf Club in Okatie, S.C. as the Big East tourney concluded Tuesday.

But it was a transition year for the Wildcats, who were led by sophomore Lucas Trim and freshman Zach Egermayer at the tourney. Trim, from Tampa, Fla, had rounds of 78, 79 and 74 and Egermayer, from Glen Rock, N.Y., had rounds of 80, 77 and 74 as both ended up among six players in a tie for 21^st at 15-over 231.

   Junior Luke Waggoner from Crystal Lake, Ill., had rounds of 77, 80 and 77 to finish in a tie for 28^th at 234 and a couple of freshmen, Andy Butler (81-83-79—243), from Oakmont, and Will Byrne (87-76-82—245), from McLean, Va., finished tied for 37^th and 39^th, respectively.

   The team scores were better with each round as Villanova went 316, 312 and 304 for a 932 total that left them 12 shots back of St. John’s and Creighton, who shared seventh place at 920.

   Villanova head coach James Wilkes had an underclassmen group teeing it up this week, three of them freshmen and one a sophomore, so his guys gained some valuable experience.

   Cole Berman, the Daily Times Player of the Year in each of his last two seasons at The Haverford School, wrapped up a solid freshman year at Georgetown as he joined Trim and Egermayer in that large group in a tie for 21^st at 231. Berman, a three-time Golf Association of Philadelphia Junior Player of the Year, had rounds of 78, 77 and 76 at Callawassie Island. They might be expecting Berman back to help out Philadelphia Cricket Club in the GAP team matches Sunday.

   Berman helped the Hoyas finish fifth in the team standings as they had rounds of 301, 308 and 306 for a 915 total.

   Georgetown was led by Sam Madsen (72-74-78—224), a freshman from Madison, Wis. who finished ninth. Gregory Podufal (75-80-74—229), a senior from Erie, finished in a tie for 16^th, and another freshman,  Jack Musgrave (76-77-78), from Chesterton, Ind., matched Berman’s 231 total and finished in that popular  tie for 21^st spot. That makes three freshmen among Georgetown’s top four finishers, so the future looks bright on the links in our nation’s capital.

   The individual title went to St. John’s Dylan Crowley, a senior from Los Angeles who had rounds of 72, 72 and 71 to finish at 1-under 215. He was matched at the figure by Marquette’s Patrick Sanchez (73-73-69), a junior from Mexico, but Crowley won the title on third hole of a playoff.

   Sanchez did lead Marquette to the team title and a berth in the NCAA regionals. Marquette had rounds of 304, 297 and 296 for an 897 total that was two shots better than DePaul (299-294-306—899).