Wednesday, Tyrone saw a potential upset over Altoona slip through their fingers when Cory Perry, the final golfer to complete his round, turned in a score of 83 to secure a victory over the Golden Eagles. Thursday, down by six strokes with one group left on the course, Tyrone looked like it was about to suffer another close loss, but Matt Brooks sank a 20 foot par putt on his final hole to defeat his Huntingdon opponent by exactly six strokes and give Tyrone a tie with the Bearcats.
Both Huntingdon and Tyrone defeated Bellwood-Antis, who were coming off their first victory in four years a day earlier against Mount Union.
Every golfer on the course struggled with the high winds flowing over the Sinking Valley Country Club Thursday. Even medalist Jimmy Gillam had issues with the wind, posting a 5-over-par 77, tying his highest score over par on the season.
Gillam began his round by coming up short on his approach at the par-4 fourth hole and ending up in the sand bunker. Despite a good chip out of the bunker, he was unable to convert his par putt, and he never got back to even par.
Throughout the day Gillam missed approaches short of the green, possibly due to the strong winds, but Gillam said later that he believed his high score was more a result of his frustration rather than the wind.
After nine holes, Gillam stood at 3-over-par, but double bogeyed the par-4 13th hole to fall to 5-over-par, and missed a tap in par on the 14th hole to slip back to 6-over-par.
Just when it looked like Gillam would allow his round to fall completely apart, he sank a 30 foot birdie putt on the 15th hole.
A bogey on the par-4 18th hole dropped Gillam another shot back of par, but a birdie on the par-5 first hole cancelled out his 18th hole bogey.
The par-3 second hole, Gillam?s 17th hole of the day, almost turned into a disaster. Gillam?s drive ended up below a tree, and when he attempted to punch out, the ball went back under another tree. Fortunately for Gillam, this tree?s branches were higher off the ground and he had a clear play on the ball. He knocked it within a foot and tapped in for a bogey.
On his final hole, the par-4 third, Gillam once again sunk a 30 foot birdie to end his round on a positive note.
Brooks, who was in a group following Gillam, had a two putt par on the par-5 first hole, and needed to par the par-3 second hole to force a tie. His drive on the second hole, found the same tree Gillam?s third shot had been from. Brooks was able to pitch it onto the green as well, but left 20 feet for par. Knowing he had to make the putt to force a tie, Brooks sank it right into the center of the cup.
The putt gave Brooks a 92 on the day, a score he has posted three times this season while posting an average of 92.6 in matches. The clutch play on the final hole was a refreshing change from Brooks? final hole a day ago at Park Hills when he posted a 12 on the par-5 18th hole.
Brooks, who will be competing in sectionals at Sinking Valley on Monday, also sank a birdie on the par-4 ninth hole.
Ryan Ruscio, who will also be competing in sectionals along with Brooks and Gillam, struggled with the wind, finishing at 99 a day after shooting an 85 at Park Hills.
Jason Tuskovich finished his rollercoaster season on a slope by carding a 104 to round out Tyrone?s scoring at 372.
Tyrone?s fifth man, Jamie Levinson, struggled for the second straight day after not playing in match play for a week when Tyrone?s top four players went to the Bolton Invitational.
Huntingdon got a strong performance from their number two man John Sloan, who shot the second-best score of the day at 81. Jared Lenmin shot a 92, R.J. Gibson a 98, and Shane Pyle a 101 to tie Tyrone at 372.
Bellwood-Antis, also playing for the second straight day, struggled in the wind. Tom Trexler was the only Blue Devil to break 100 at 99. Matt Beech finished tenth overall at 105, and Jake Manning and Kyle Shawley placed for Bellwood-Antis at 107 and 116.
Tyrone finished the season at 7-7-1. Gillam, Brooks and Ruscio qualified for sectionals which will take place at the Sinking Valley Country Club Monday at 10 a.m.
