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Yuma Catholic's R.J. Wood took home individual medalists honors Tuesday at the 2A state gold championships in Laveen.
Shamrocks edged out of state golf title
YC's R.J. Wood takes individual honors; Rams place ninth
LAVEEN - After 626 collective strokes through 180 holes of golf, Yuma Catholic's boys golf team tied for the 2A state championship, then lost to Scottsdale Christian by a single stroke in a one-hole playoff round.
Antelope placed ninth in the tourney, with Mieke Canan tying for 19th overall with a 158.
R.J. Wood shined for the Shamrocks, winning the individual championship by two strokes, shooting 67 and 68.
"(Wood) was just tremendous the whole tournament," Yuma Catholic coach Bob Anderson said. "He put together two great rounds, five under the first day, four the second."
Yuma Catholic led the first round, at the par-72 Aguila Golf Club with a 312. Wood led the field and Seth Hodges had a good first day, shooting 73. When Hodges struggled with a Day 2 round of 84, Karl Peterson improved three strokes for an 81 and Nick Pancrazi improved seven strokes to shoot an 81.
While Wood held a 12-stroke lead over Scottsdale Christian's best golfer, the Eagles had a much tighter grouping with Chris O'Shell's 163 beating YC's Joe Allegranza's 194.
"They (Scottsdale) had a great day today and caught up with us," Anderson said. "I wouldn't take anything from our kids either, they were gutting it out and it wasn't coming easy."
The course proved especially difficult with a short rough that as Anderson put it, "didn't hold the balls from continuing on into the desert."
When it came out a tie, both teams played the 18th hole, counting the top four scores. On the playoff, Nick Pancrazi put himself out of contention hitting out of bounds, Woods put his shot within four feet andAllegranza just missed a par putt to settle for bogey.
The difference between Scottsdale and Yuma Catholic came down to Peterson's putt the length of the green to force a second playoff hole.
"(Peterson's) 30-foot put, that one more roll, one more rotation of the ball would've dropped for a par," Anderson said.
On the trip home Anderson said the team was disappointed, but were already having fun in the van. He said the two seniors - Hodges and Peterson - are disappointed they didn't finish with a state championship.
When the Shamrocks won two years ago, Hodges was the sixth man and Peterson had to improve from a sophomore game in the 90s to get to varsity.
This team still continued the great tradition of boys golf at Yuma Catholic. This is the sixth year in a row they've finished in the top three.
"Yuma Catholic is a great golf team," Anderson said. "We have a couple more kids coming up. They like to come in and play golf and compete."
