August 17, 2012 7:00 a.m. WOODCOCK TOWNSHIP —
If Thursday’s match is any indication of how Meadville’s 2012 boys golf season will transpire, the Bulldogs could have the most outstanding duo of underclassmen in the area.
Sophomore Charlie Holt carded a 3-under par 69 and freshman Zack Ford followed with a 2-over 74 in his first ever varsity match during the Bulldogs’ 317-359 victory over Titusville at The Country Club in Meadville.
Holt got the best of Ford on Thursday, but Ford is looking forward to a competitive season between the two of them.
“It’s going to be fun,” Ford said. “It depends whoever is playing good. At least we have our backs. If he plays bad, I have his back. If I plays bad, he has my back.”
Holt deserves a pat on the back for his performance. He shot a 2-under par 35 during the front nine and a 1-under par 34 during the back nine.
The sophomore attributed his successful Thursday to solid putting.
“I putted pretty well, so I was happy about that,” Holt said. “The pins were tough, but I just managed a good score.”
Holt, who finished four shots away from advancing to the state tournament as a freshman last season, said that much of his rookie jitters are gone. He’s hoping last year’s experiences carry him further this season.
“Mistakes I made last year, I don’t want to make this year,” Holt said.
Watching Ford and Titusville’s No. 1 player, Matt McCord, inspired Holt on Thursday. Holt said that seeing both of them succeed helped him tally the under-par afternoon.
“It definitely does, especially when you see Matt rolling in putts,” Holt said. “It makes you want to make that putt too. It helps a lot.”
McCord’s 72 was the Rockets’ best score on the day. He was the only Titusville player to shoot under 90.
Ford was 1-under on the front nine and 3-over on the back nine. He was hardly pressing and said he wasn’t nervous in his first varsity match.
“I didn’t have that much pressure at all actually,” Ford said. “I’ve played in enough tournaments over the years that I’m not that nervous anymore playing in tournaments.”
Ford, a Cochranton student, recently played in an American Junior Golf Association event in Colorado. As the only competitor from Pennsylvania, he finished in 19th place at the three-day AJGA event. Cochranton doesn’t have a golf team, so its students play for Meadville.
“He’s great,” Holt said. “He’s better than I was as a freshman. ... He wasn’t happy with some of the shots he hit, but a 74 and 69 is a great start for us.”
Holt is looking forward to matching Ford shot-for-shot all season.
“It’s great that we’re No. 1 and 2 on the team,” Holt said. “The seniors are OK with it. I’ve grown up with those seniors my whole life and played with them. We have great camaraderie on this team.”
Seniors Mike Bogardus (86), Will Malady (89), Trevor Clune (91) and Zach Luben (92) and junior Dalton Zelasco (88) were each a few strokes off their averages on Thursday. Bogardus and Zelasco finished third and fourth, respectively, for the Bulldogs.
“We need the upperclassmen to step it up a little bit,” Meadville head coach Fred Garvey Jr. said. “But 317 is a good score. I’ll take it all the time.”
Another Meadville freshman, Kyle Luben, managed a 90 but didn’t finish in the top four that counted toward the Bulldogs’ 317.
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