Lower Merion's Yermish goes for it to claim District One girls crown; Holy Ghost's Sanderson the boys champion at Turtle Creek

    LIMERICK – Sometimes in golf, it just comes down to one shot.

   Lower Merion junior Sydney Yermish stared down her second shot into the “Tin Cup” 18^th green at Turtle Creek Golf Club and knew what she had to do.

   Yermish had arrived on the 18^th tee tied with two of her playing partners, Downingtown East senior Ava O’Sullivan, the defending champion, and Unionville junior Mary Grace Dunigan, at 4-under-par after 18 holes Monday at nearby Raven’s Claw Golf Club and 17 more holes Tuesday on a cool and gray day at the Turtle, which played to 5,827 yards and a par of 72 for the girls.

   It had been a terrific battle all day, although Yermish probably would have been an easy winner if she had been able to get a putt to drop. She had made a 20-footer for eagle at the par-5 second hole and then, nothing. She had outdriven Dunigan and O’Sullivan by maybe 20 yards on the 530-yard finishing hole, but that 20 yards was the difference between laying up short of the water that fronts the green and going for it in two.

   Yermish had 193 yards to the pin, maybe 180 to clear the water.

   “I had to go for it,” Yermish said after winning her second District One Class AAA crown in as many tries. “I could not make a putt all day. I figured the only way I was going to make birdie was to reach it in two and two-putt. Somebody was going to make birdie there, either to win it or you’d need birdie to get into a playoff.”

   Yermish drilled a 5-iron, her ball clearing the water by maybe eight yards, then taking a bounce and settling on the green, 20 feet away.

   “It looked good in the air,” Yermish said. “I was still rooting for it pretty hard.”

   After laying up, O’Sullivan and Dunigan knocked their shots on the green, each about 25 feet away, still outside of Yermish. O’Sullivan’s birdie try ran out of speed and slid to the right. Dunigan went for it, blowing her downhiller eight feet by.

   Yermish had two putts for the win. Appropriately enough, her eagle try lipped out – she had had cruel lipouts at the eighth and the 10^th holes earlier in the round – but this lipout might have been to her benefit as it slowed the ball down and left her with a tap-in for birdie and the title.

   Yermish had come into the second round trailing O’Sullivan by four shots after O’Sullivan had fired a sparkling 5-under 66 at Raven’s Claw Monday. The birdie at 18 gave Yermish a 4-under 68, which, combined with her opening-round 70 at Raven’s Claw, gave her a 5-under 138 total.

   I caught up to the group on the seventh hole and saw only one really bad swing all day, O’Sullivan’s tee shot at the par-5 eighth hole that went out of bounds, but not by much. It led to a double bogey that dropped her back into a tie with Yermish and Dunigan at 3-under. O’Sullivan added a 1-over 73 to her 66 to share second place with Dunigan at 4-under 139.

   Dunigan had slipped out of the tie for the lead when she yanked her tee shot at the par-4 16^th hole ever so slightly into the water hazard on the left, which led to a bogey. She followed that up with a brilliant approach at the par-4 17^th hole that nearly went in for an eagle. She tapped it in and was again tied for the lead at 4-under.

   Her par at the last – she made her eight-foot comebacker after going for the birdie putt she needed to force a playoff -- gave Dunigan a 3-under 69, which, combined with her opening-round 70 at Raven’s Claw, enabled her to join O’Sullivan in the tie for second place at 4-under 139.

   There was drama all over the place at the Turtle as, for the second year in a row, Downingtown West sophomore Nick Gross hooked up with Holy Ghost Prep senior Calen Sanderson, the two best players in District One battling it out for a district title.

   Sanderson had tried to reach the par-5 18^th hole in two a year ago and pushed it out of bounds by maybe a couple of feet, leading to a double bogey that enabled Gross to claim the District One Class AAA crown by two shots. Two weeks later, Sanderson finished two shots ahead of Gross, who ended up alone in third place, to capture the PIAA Class AAA crown at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort.

   The dynamic was a little different this time, Sanderson, who will join the Notre Dame program next summer, was playing in the group in front of Gross after matching par in the opening round with a 72. Gross had grabbed the lead following an opening round of 2-under 70 over the 6,375-yard, par-72 Turtle Creek layout.

   But I’m sure Gross sensed that his biggest challenge was going to come from the group in front of him. Sanderson had seven birdies, including one at the last, in a 4-under 68 that left him with a 4-under 140 total.

   Gross had fallen back with a tough front-nine stretch that saw him make a bogey at the fourth hole, a double bogey at the fifth and a bogey at the sixth. But he responded by ripping off three straight birdies at the seventh, eighth and ninth holes and added another at the par-5 13^th to get it to 3-under for the tournament.

   Like Sanderson, Gross birdied the last for a second straight 70 that left him at 4-under 140 and in a playoff with Sanderson in what has been a fascinating rivalry on the scholastic scene these last two years.

   As the girls played their last couple holes, we could see a big crowd following Sanderson and Gross up the first hole. The playoff went to a second hole, the par-5 eighth, and Sanderson captured the title with a birdie.

   The PIAA Class AAA Championship at Heritage Hills will be, for the second straight year, a one-day shootout Oct. 19^th in a concession to the coronavirus pandemic. For the second straight year, there will be no regional qualifier for the state championship.

   That quirk in the schedule last year enabled Gross and Sanderson to tee it up in the PIAA Class AAA Championship because they were going to miss the regional due to conflicts with separate American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) events. Hopefully, that will be the case again this year. I’m looking forward to Round 4 of Sanderson vs. Gross. If it’s anything like the first three rounds, it should be a doozy.

   Yermish won the District One Class AAA title as a freshman two years ago, but didn’t get a chance to defend her title as the Central League didn’t have a district qualifier in time amid confusion around pandemic protocols and high school sports.

   “Last year was really hard, not getting an opportunity to play,” Yermish said. “I was really looking forward to getting to play this year.”

   Yermish hadn’t forgotten the best way to get around at Turtle. In addition to her eagle at the par-5 second hole, Yermish made a birdie at the par-3 13^th – a birdie that was matched by O’Sullivan and Dunigan – and then had that birdie at the par-5 finishing hole.

   “I was able to take advantage of the (par-) 5s,” Yermish said. “That’s how you have to score on this golf course.”

   Yermish has also been motivated by the “Birdies for the Fallen” fund-raising campaign she began, its goal to donate money to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Md. to honor the memory of her fellow Penn Wynne-Overbrook Hills Fire Company #21 volunteer firefighter Sean DeMuynck, who died in the line of duty in July.

   Yermish has sought pledges for her birdies during the Central League, District One and PIAA Championships. She figured her two-day haul at Raven’s Claw and Turtle Creek would increase her total to more than $6,200.

   Two years ago, Yermish lost in a playoff in the PIAA Class AAA Championship. A few more birdies for her cause might help her add a state title to the two district crowns she owns.

   Elle Lundquist, the precocious freshman at Central Bucks East, matched par with a 72 after opening with a 70 at Raven’s Claw as she finished in fourth place, three shots behind O’Sullivan and Dunigan with a 1-under 142 total. Lundquist teamed with Sawyer Brockstedt, another junior phenom from Rehoboth Beach, Del., as they punched their ticket to next spring’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship in Puerto Rico in a local qualifier a couple of weeks ago at Berkshire Country Club.

   West Chester East senior Victoria Kim earned a chance to defend her PIAA Class AAA Championship victory from a year ago as Kim matched par for the second day in a row to finish alone in fifth place with an even-par 143 total.

   Phoenixville sophomore Kate Roberts was the fourth member of the group that included Yermish, O’Sullivan and Dunigan and was really solid, adding a 2-over 74 to her opening-round 70 at Raven’s Claw as she earned a trip to Heritage Hills by finishing in sixth place with a 1-over 144 total.

   O’Sullivan’s Downingtown East teammate Mia Pace, a sophomore, will join O’Sullivan at states as she added a 2-over 74 to the 1-over 72 she carded Monday at Raven’s Claw to finish in seventh place with a 3-over 146 total. O’Sullivan and Pace led the Cougars to the girls team title Monday at Raven’s Claw and will battle for a state team crown Oct. 25^th at Heritage Hills.

   If you follow the Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour, you’re familiar with the name Rhianna Gooneratne. The Plymouth-Whitemarsh freshman had one of the best rounds of the day Tuesday, a 1-under 71, after opening with a 77 at Raven’s Claw to book a spot in the PIAA Class AAA Championship field by finishing in eighth place with a 5-over 148 total.

   Mount St. Joseph senior Carolina Gola grabbed the final spot available to District One in the state tournament by finishing in ninth place with an 8-over 151 total. Gola added a 77 Tuesday to her opening round of 3-over 74 Monday at Raven’s Claw.

   Springfield (Montco) junior Mollie Young was the lone entry in the District One Class AA Championship and added an 89 to the 88 she posted at Raven’s Claw for a 177 total. Young will compete in the PIAA Class AA Championship Oct. 18^th at Heritage Hills.

   Behind Sanderson and Gross in the Class AAA boys field, the competition was fierce for the final 16 available berths to the PIAA Championship in two weeks.

   Upper Dublin senior Charlie Kerprich carded a solid 3-under 69 Tuesday after opening with a 73 as he finished two shots behind Sanderson and Gross in third place with a 2-under 142 total.

   West Chester Henderson senior Dylan Kochis matched Sanderson for the best round of the day with a 4-under 68 as he finished alone in fourth place with a 1-under 143 total. Kochis had opened with a 3-over 75 Monday. It was a very good day for the Ches-Mont League as Bishop Shanahan junior Ben Saggers matched par with a 72 after opening with a 73 and finished alone in fifth place, two shots behind Kochis with a 1-over 145 total.

   Garnet Valley senior Matt Pulcinella and West Chester Rustin senior Earl Miller finished in a tie for sixth place, each landing on 3-over 147. Pulcinella had opened with a solid 1-under 71 before adding a 75 in Tuesday’s second round. Miller matched par with a 72 Tuesday after opening with a 74.

   Pulcinella’s accomplishment highlighted a pretty nice season for head coach Doug Grande at Garnet Valley. The Jaguars were the runnerup to Strath Haven in the Central League and finished in fifth place in Tuesday’s team competition. Garnet Valley edged Conestoga by a shot last week at Concord Country Club to send the Jaguars to Turtle Creek as a team.

   A foursome of players tied for eighth place at 3-over 147 included three Central League entries as Marple Newtown senior Jake Micewski, Penncrest junior Eli Shah and Radnor sophomore Shaun Mazzalupi all landed on that number. Micewski and Mazzalupi had identical splits, adding a 75 to an opening round of even-par 72. Shah added a 74 to his opening-round 73.

   Rounding out that foursome at 3-over was West Chester Rustin senior Ryan D’Ariano, another Ches-Mont League standout who matched par with a 72 Tuesday after opening with a 75.

   Wissahickon senior Christian Matt, the Suburban One League champion, will make a return trip to the PIAA Championship as he signed for his second straight 74 to head another foursome of players tied for 12^th place at 4-over 148.

   Joining Matt at 4-over were Radnor senior Chase Stephano, Quakertown sophomore Nick Joyce and Central Bucks West senior Kevin Lydon. Stephano matched Matt’s splits with a pair of 74s, Joyce added a 1-over 73 to his opening-round 75 and Lydon, who had opened with a 1-over 73, carded a 75 Tuesday.

   Spring-Ford junior Luke Fazio, the medalist in last week’s Pioneer Athletic Conference Championship at Gilbertsville Golf Club, finished alone in 16^th place with a 5-over 149 total. Fazio rallied from an opening-round 76 with a solid 1-over 73 in Tuesday’s final round on the Rams’ home course.

   Grabbing the last two Class AAA berths to the state tournament were North Penn senior Connor Toussaint and West Chester Rustin freshman Sam Feeney, both of whom registered a 6-over 150 total. Toussaint added a 2-over 74 to his opening-round 76. Feeney was one of four players tied for second place, a shot behind Gross, with a 1-under 71 in Monday’s opening round. Feeney struggled to an 79 in Tuesday’s final round, but will be headed for Heritage Hills.

   Lydon’s 75 was the third-best score of the day for the Central Bucks West contingent, but helped the Bucks capture the District One Class AAA team crown with an 8-over 295 total.

   Chase Feraco carded a 2-under 70 and Alex Feraco – brothers, I’m guessing -- was also under par with a 1-under 71 to lead the way for Central Bucks West. John Lee had the critical final counter in the five-score-four format with an 80 that clinched it for the Bucks. Abby Lynn, who just missed a trip to states in the Class AAA girls individual competition, added an 81 that was tossed.

   West Chester Rustin, behind individual state qualifiers Miller, D’Ariano and Feeney, was the runnerup to Central Bucks West with a 13-over 301 total, five shots behind the Bucks.

   The Pioneer Athletic Conference’s top two teams, Spring-Ford and Owen J. Roberts, finished third and fourth, respectively, the Rams just a shot behind Rustin with a 14-over 302 total and the Wildcats another seven shots behind their PAC rivals with a 21-over 309 total. Central League runnerup Garnet Valley was seven shots behind Owen J. Roberts in fifth place with a 28-over 316 total.

   Jenkintown got both of District One’s berths to the PIAA Class AA Championship as senior Jeff Staples captured the district title with a 6-over 150 total, four shot better than freshman Will Gouveia. After matching par in the opening round with a 72, Staples added a 78 in Tuesday’s final round. After opening with a 1-over 73, Gouveia struggled to an 81 Tuesday.

   New Hope-Solebury captured the District One Class AA team crown with a 344 total, although it will have to get by a sub-regional opponent to earn a trip to the PIAA Class AA Championship.

   New Hope-Solebury was led by Nate Wiseman’s 77. Malcolm Raupp added an 87, Ehran Weyman had an 89 and Max Wright got the final counter with a 91. Mason Scull rounded out the New Hope-Solebury lineup with a 105.