Sennett, Essex nab D-I golf honors
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Joe Toland of Hartford High School watches a tee shot at Ralph Myhre Golf Club on Wednesday, where he posted a 1-under par 70 at the Division I state championships. VYTO STARINSKAS / RUTLAND HERALD |
Toolbox
By Carleton Laird Staff Writer - Published: June 11, 2009
MIDDLEBURY — Joe Toland of Hartford and Thomas Sennett have waged war on the golf course all season long, with junior Toland getting the best of it by a narrow margin. Wednesday belonged to Sennett, though, as the senior fired a 2-under par 69 at Ralph Myhre Golf Club to edge Toland by a shot and claim the Division I medal.
Oh, by the way, to no one's surprise, Essex won the team title for the third straight year and the fourth time in six. The only surprising part was that the Hornets shot a rather ordinary 306 after setting the state record last year at 295 with essentially the same team.
Hartford shot 316 to finish second, followed closely by Burlington (317) and Mount Anthony (318). Mount Mansfield came in at 320 and Spaulding at 345.
Sennett and Toland both came to the 18th hole at 2 under. Toland missed the green from 110 yards and chipped to 12 feet before just missing the par putt. Sennett was left with 8 feet up the hill for par and he calmly rolled it in to take the individual title.
"He made a great putt," Toland said of his friendly adversary. "Even if that putt was straight, it's a great putt with everybody watching."
For Sennett, it was gratifying to end his Vermont high school career with the win.
"Joe and I battled it out all year and he's gotten in front of me most of the time," he said. "It feels pretty good to get him."
Of course Toland will get another shot at Sennett on Monday during the New England tournament at Bretwood Country Club in Keene, N.H.
Sennett, who said his goal was to not make a bogey, saw that go by the board on No. 4 when he made double. But he had 12 pars through the first 13 holes and closed with a tremendous flurry.
His first birdie came on the par-3 14th and he followed that with an eagle on the par-5 16th. A birdie on 17 got him even with Toland, setting up the final-hole drama.
"I never really started until I birdied 14," said Sennett, who posted his low round of the year and what the officials here believe is the tournament record. "Whenever you have the shakes on 18, you know you're doing something right."
Toland started birdie-bogey and added a bird on the 6th to turn at 1-under 34. A bogey on 11 put him level, but Toland strung together back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17.
Toland was disappointed for himself but happy for Sennett.
"Thomas just beat me so I'm not that upset," he said. "I didn't hit it that well today but my short game kept me in it."
Hartford coach Roy Hathorn felt that this was the day that Essex was vulnerable. The Hornets came in with hopes of usurping last year's record.
"On a miracle day, we could have gotten to 306," he said. "Most of our scores were higher on the front than on the back so even though our kids knew we shot ourselves out of it at that point, they were still going to grind it out for the team."
That paid off as the Hurricanes eked out second by a single stroke.
"I think that's the most disappointed I've ever seen a D-I champion," Hathorn said of the Hornets' body language. "They had the worst possible day and still won by 10 shots. How good are they?"
The potentially treacherous back side, which plays to a par 36 compared to 35 on the front, took its toll on a couple of Hornets, particularly their No. 1, Steve Mone. After firing a 1-over 36 on the front, Mone made par on No. 10 and then hit two balls out of bounds on 11, making a nine to come home in 43.
Still, the 79s of Mone and Troy Goliber were the high scores and one was thrown out. Not many teams have that luxury. Dale Lee went 34-38 for a team-low 74. Evan Russell carded a 77 while Jake Orr posted a 78.
Middlebury's Walker Allen qualified for the New England tournament with a 74.
"I started out real well; I was 1 under after eight," said the senior, who hit 15 greens. "I didn't have my best day putting. I three-putted three times."
Allen birdied the first hole but doubled nine to turn at 36. He made seven pars on the back, with bogeys on 12 and 14.
"I've never played well enough here to qualify (for the New Englands)," he said. "It's good to finally make it."
Carleton.laird@rutlandherald.com
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