One of the hallmarks of a championship team is different players stepping up at different times.
And while the Scioto Valley Conference championship wasn’t on the line on Thursday, the Westfall Mustangs were able to strengthen their lead atop the conference with a pair of clutch performances on Thursday at the Pickaway Country Club.
The Mustangs won the third conference match of the season with a nine-hole tally of 167. Perennial conference power Unioto followed in second with 170, Piketon was third with 172 and Zane Trace took fourth with 175.
“Every night someone different has been stepping up to help us win,” Westfall coach Todd Rhymer said. “I have seven players right now that are averaging in the 40s that I know will perform for our team when I need them too. That is something that we haven’t had here at Westfall for a long time, it’s a nice luxury to have right now. Competition is essential for success.”
Junior Jacob Hicks stepped up and led the lineup out of the second position with a 39, which was one shot behind the medalist performance of Zane Trace’s Jon Grondolsky Jr., who shot 38. Hicks shared runner-up honors with Zane Trace’s Daniel Hughes and Southeastern’s Brayden Popp.
Freshman Dalton Bush delivered a career-best score of 42 out of the four spot in the lineup.
“Jacob is a two-time All-SVC performer, and he played like the leader that I need him to be for us if we are going to reach some of our goals this season,” Rhymer said. “Dalton Bush is only a sophomore, but he is starting to become one of my most consistent golfers right now and shot his career-best 42.”
Brendan Biegler also shot 42 for the Mustangs and Colton Brungarth tallied 44.
“I was worried and stressed all round because I saw Brendan and Ian (Camden) were not playing their best golf tonight, no excuses, but I think the two freshmen who have been playing well all week got a little mentally tired playing their fourth match in four days,” Rhymer observed. “Brendan still finished with a 42, but I guarantee that he will be practicing extra this Labor Day weekend to get himself back in the 30s again.
“Colton Brungarth is my third freshman in my top five right now and I went to him before his last couple of holes and told him that I needed him to finish strong for us to be able to win again. “Finishing with a 44 allowed us to win by three strokes.”
Also playing for the Mustangs were Ian Camden (61) and Isaac Stevens (52).
Through three of eight conference matches, the Mustangs sit in first with a perfect score of 24 points, followed by Unioto (21) and Zane Trace (17).
The fourth conference match of the season is scheduled for Sept. 7 at Valley Vista Golf Course.
