PHS downs South to capture Cup for first time in 3 years
Photo by Jay W. Bennett The Parkersburg golf team poses for a photo after defeating Parkersburg South 6-2 in match play on Tuesday from the Parkersburg Country Club in Vienna. The win sends the City Cup back to PHS for the first time in three years.
Photo by Jay W. Bennett Parkersburg’s Anna Earl hits a shot while Parkersburg South’s Brandt Butcher looks on during the annual City Cup match play event held at Parkersburg Country Club. The Patriot nipped the Big Reds, 2&1.
Photo by Jay W. Bennett The Parkersburg golf team poses for a photo after defeating Parkersburg South 6-2 in match play on Tuesday from the Parkersburg Country Club in Vienna. The win sends the City Cup back to PHS for the first time in three years.
Photo by Jay W. Bennett Parkersburg’s Anna Earl hits a shot while Parkersburg South’s Brandt Butcher looks on during the annual City Cup match play event held at Parkersburg Country Club. The Patriot nipped the Big Reds, 2&1.
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VIENNA -- No one was more pleased about Parkersburg High School winning the annual City Cup than lone Big Red senior Molly McLean.
The Big Reds of first-year head coach Vince Guice took care of business here on a scorching Tuesday afternoon at the Parkersburg Country Club by topping rival Parkersburg South, 6-2, to capture the match play event and snap the Patriots' three-year winning streak.
McLean, who was playing in the No. 1 position for the red and white, defeated South's Austin Reeves 4&3.
When asked if this was her ideal weather to compete in she just laughed.
"Yes, 93 and sunny was great. My favorite weather to play in," she quipped. "I was really excited for my match today. I felt like I could've closed it a little sooner, but I'm still happy with where we finished."
Big Red Brielle Milhoan scored a 5&4 triumph in the No. 2 position against Kaleb Tanner.
"I had a really fun round," Milhoan admitted. "There was one hole I really struggled with. It was definitely toasty, but the adrenaline was pumping. Just a great round.
"That's the one thing I love about match play. Tables can turn quickly, but if you have a bad hole it doesn't affect you that much if you are confident that you are going to do better."
In the No. 3 spot, Parkersburg's Hayden Leavitt earned a 6&4 triumph against Nate Gilpin.
First-year Parkersburg South boss John Badgley got wins at No. 4 from Brandt Butcher, who bested Anna Earl 2&1, and also at No. 8 where Isea Dillon scored a 5&4 victory versus Bryce Willis.
"Big Reds had a good team," said coach Badgley, whose squad competes today at Oglebay in the Two Rivers Athletic Conference tournament. "They played real well today and they are playing here at the Country Club, their home course. The club's in great shape. The course was good. I've said this since the beginning of the season, for our team, with the youth we have a long course like this makes it tough. We have yet to step up to that challenge and we're still trying to get to that.
"We are also trying to be more consistent from match to match. With the youth you have that inconsistency and boy that's a tough battle for us right now. We're fighting it, not to mention we weren't at full strength. I don't want to use that as an excuse, but when you lose three players that typically would be playing for you that makes a difference, but the kids came out and played today, scrambled and we gave them all we could."
The Big Reds' other three wins came at No. 5 with Vinnie Guice besting Olivia Foley 2&1, at No. 6 where Dylan Bond topped Brody Allman 4&3 and at No. 7 where Braden Williams handled Maddox Lord 7&5.
"Obviously, you want to win every time you play," said coach Guice, whose squad plays at 4 p.m. today at Greenhills in Ravenswood versus Ripley and Spring Valley. "They had a couple players out. It kind of stinks. I wish they were at full strength and we had a kid out with pink eye so we weren't at full strength either, but we had eight people here ready to play and we played, but it was hot.
"I'm happy. Real happy. Everybody played hard. Nobody gave up. They grinded. We were up some, down some, came back. Match play is great. It's so much different than stroke play. I love watching it. We've been up and down. Consistency is the main thing. We're getting two or three consistent scores, but I need four."
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com