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Moravian Academy wins fifth straight Colonial League golf title
September 24, 2018
Moravian Academy Senior Davis Koch
(Pictured Above)
Moravian Academy Sophomore Grace Sanborn
BETHLEHEM — For the past five years, the Colonial League golf race has featured a Moravian Academy vs. Southern Lehigh Cplonial League Golf Tournament showdown for the championship — with the Lions prevailing four years in a row.
On Monday, Moravian Academy extended that title streak to five.
Led by a pair of 83’s from seniors Davis Koch and William McKay at a windswept and damp Bethlehem Golf Club course, North Division champion Moravian Academy (12-1) shot a five-player score of 425 (85 strokes per player) to win their fifth consecutive team championship by 11 strokes over South Division champion Southern Lehigh (13-0), who shot 436.
Bangor (9-4) was third at 457, while Palmerton (8-5) finished in fourth place with 460.
The Lions swept the team and individual titles. Koch outlasted McKay on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff, and sophomore Grace Sanborn shot 90 to win the girls crown by five strokes over junior teammate Keller Nichols, who shot 95.
Moravian Academy has established a Colonial League golf dynasty the past five seasons with a 64-1 record. The Lions defeated Southern Lehigh (72-8 the past six years) at the league tournament by 16 strokes in 2014 and 2015, and by 21 strokes in 2017 at The Bethlehem Golf Club; and by 11 shots over Saucon Valley in 2016, and have also won four consecutive District 11 2A team championships.
Southern Lehigh, which snapped the Lions winning streak at 44 during the season, was without two of it’s senior starters.
Southern Lehigh, which has posted records of 12-1, 12-3, 12-1, 12-1, 11-2, and 13-0 the past six seasons, has long been the circuit’s perennial golf power.
Under coach Matt Greenawald (18 seasons), the Spartans have won six Colonial League crowns in 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2013.
The Lions advanced to the 2018 District 11 2A team championship, to be played Monday, October 8 at Lehigh Country Club.
Fourth-year Moravian Academy golf coach Geri Higgins (51-1) was thrilled for her team.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Higgins said. “We certainly have the talent. You never know what is going to happen on a given day. We didn’t play as well as we wanted to. It’s really good for the kids. It’s fantastic.”
Both Koch and McKay were surprised that their score of 83 held up on a day when the course played tough.
After McKay two-putt from 15 feet for a double bogey on the first sudden-death playoff hole (par-4 18th), Koch missed a 4-footer for bogey.
On the second playoff hole (par-4 17th) McKay hit his bunker shot from the right greenside hazard over the green, and eventually hit his 22-footer for bogey two feet past the cup.
Koch chipped from the back of the green 20 feet from the cup, and left his par putt just short of the hole. He tapped in for bogey to win the title.
Koch, 17, rallied with a 38 on the back nine to gain a spot in the playoff.
“I didn’t expect it,” Koch said. “It was very windy today. The course was in great shape. I kept it straight. I played a draw off the tee box.”
McKay, 17-year-old a 6’4 1/2″ senior who also plays basketball, echoed Koch’s sentiments.
“I didn’t think that 83 would hold up,” McKay said. “I didn’t feel like I was playing exceptionally well. The course was playing tough and the greens were firm.”
Sanborn, who finished second a year ago, overcame a slow start to win the girls title with a 48-42–90.
Beginning her round on the 16th hole, Sanborn went double bogey, triple bogey, and quadruple bogey on the course’s first, second, and third holes before settling down.
“I hit a really bad shot on the fourth hole, and hit a good second shot and a great chip shot and made bogey,” Sanborn said. “That got the wheels going. I then started to make pars.”
A total of 52 boys and seven girls participated in the tournament.
2018 Colonial League Golf Tournament
Bethlehem Golf Club (par 71)
Monday, September 24, 2018
Team League Championship (5 players)
1. Moravian Academy (10-1) 425; 2. Southern Lehigh (13-0) 436; 3. Bangor (9-4) 457; 4. Palmerton (8-5) 460.
Moravian Academy is the Colonial League champion for the fifth consecutive year, and will advance to the District 11 2A Team Golf Championship.
Boys Scores:
83 – Davis Koch, Moravian Academy (won title with a bogey on the second sudden-death playoff hole); Will McKay, Moravian Academy
84 – Ronald Webb, Wilson; Steve Luke, NDGP; William Norman, Northwestern
85 – Steve Hoyer, Southern Lehigh; Josh Mooney, Palmerton
86 – Ben Linden, Southern Lehigh; Griffin Lombardi, Moravian Academy; Sebastian Holbrook, Moravian Academy
87 – Ethan Saxe, Bangor; Tom Smith, Moravian Academy; Luke Hallman, Northwestern; Chris Omick, NDGP
88 – Logan Kresge, Palmerton; Chris Andrews, Southern Lehigh; Mike Smith, Southern Lehigh
89 – Freddy Bacon, Bangor; Christian Pfennig, Moravian Academy; Liam O’Brian, Southern Lehigh
Jonathan Dario, Pen Argyl
90 – Justin Kyra, Saucon Valley
91 – Noah Berger, Bangor; Ethan Haas, Wilson
92 – Brad Yeahl, Saucon Valley; Jacob Dellicker, Northwestern
93 – Eric Smith, Saucon Valley
94 – Mason Kistler, Palmerton; Roman Lisicky, Southern Lehigh; Jacob Shiner, Bangor; Ben Oetwein, NDGP;
95 – Matthew Lalik, Palmerton; Al Suraci, NDGP
96 – Jayden Buist, Bangor; Michael Andrews, Southern Lehigh; Sheldon Buist, Bangor
97 – Peter Chiaradia, Moravian Academy
98 – Jacob Sutton, Palmerton; Armaan Pandher, Moravian Academy; Rein Farensbach, Bangor;
Tristan Altenbach, Wilson
99 – Derek Rea; Palmerton; Tanner Ruth, Salisbury
100 – Colin Zavacky, Saucon Valley
102 – Dylan Welsh, Southern Lehigh: Joseph Frey, Northwestern
103 – Anthony Bufanio, Saucon Valley
107 – Henry Bacon, Bangor
108 – Alex Suter, Salisbury
117 – Justin Hosier, Palmerton
126 – Samuel Fatzinger, Northwestern
130 — Zach Silfies, Palmerton
NOTE: The boys played from the 6,283 white markers.
NOTE: Top-five boys scores earned a qualifying exemption to the District 11 Golf Championships, to be played Monday, October 8 at Lehigh Country Club.
Girls Scores:
90 – Grace Sanborn, Moravian Academy
95 –Keeler Nichols, Moravian Academy
107 – Emma Shelby, Saucon Valley; Ashley Karol, Salisbury
110 –Sydney Lakey, Pen Argyl
119 – Gabrielle Smalley, Northwestern
131 – Larsen Lencheski, NDGP
NOTE: The girls played from the 5,335 red markers.
NOTE: Top-two girls scores earned a qualifying exemption to the District 11 Golf Championships, to be played Monday, October 8 at Lehigh Country Club.
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