Font ResizeMERCERSBURG - The five area Mid Penn Colonial Division golf teams got off to an early start Thursday afternoon at Whitetail Golf Resort.
But playing the season opener a few days earlier than usual didn't change the normal pecking order - Chambersburg is still clearly the team to beat.
The Trojans' top three players each shot in the 70s and the team scored a total of 398 for five scorers to defeat second-place Waynesboro by 25 strokes.
"We played very well today; it was nice to get off to a good start," Chambersburg coach Mark Yost said. "We played the white tees so it was not super long, but you still have to keep the ball in play and our kids did that. Our goal today was to beat 400 and we did that."
Austin Green fired a 3-over par 75 to claim medalist honors for Chambersburg. One stroke behind were teammate Max Bell and James Buchanan's Grant Strawoet. Waynesboro's Nick Franki (77) and the Trojans' Carter Rajtik (79) rounded out the top five.
Also for Chambersburg, Jesse Helman shot 82, Sam Stonesifer 86 and Matt Stonesifer 89.
Yost said, "We put three in the 70s and Helman's 82 was real solid, so that was four good scores."
The controversy of the day was that most coaches did not realize that the Mid Penn had changed a rule. Previously, teams put out seven players and counted the top five scores. But the rule now is for six players, with the top five counting.
Chambersburg's No. 7, freshman Ian Patterson, shot a 77, which would have tied
In addition to Franki, Waynesboro's top players were Ben Weber (6th, 80) and Tyler Bricker (9th, 84).
Indian coach Ryan Henderson said, "Franki played very well in his first varsity match. He had the par of the day on No. 11. He hit a shrimp off the tee into the swamp left of the fairway. He dropped and hit his third shot to about 10 feet, then made a downhill slider for par. That's the kind of par that keeps a good round going."
Weber had a late double bogey that kept him from scoring in the 70s and Bricker was undone by a couple of early triple bogeys, but he shot 39 on the back side.
For James Buchanan, which finished third as a team, Blake Hissong was seventh with an 81 and Isaac Sipes shot 87.
Rocket coach Mark Wise said, "Blake had his lowest score ever today. And in my seven years, that's the third-best score we've had as a team, at one of the tougher courses we play."
For Greencastle-Antrim, which took fourth, Hunter Heuer took 10th with an 85 and Ellie Kotrady turned in a 92 for the lowest girls score.
"I think Hunter and Ellie were both a little disappointed with their scores today, but they were still solid rounds at Whitetail," G-A coach Jeremy Eby said.
Shippensburg, which took fifth, got an 87 from Andrew Koser for its lowest round.
Mid Penn Colonial Division
at Whitetail Golf Resort
par 72
Team Standings
1.Chambersburg (5-0) 398; 2.Waynesboro (4-1) 423; 3.James Buchanan (3-2) 429; 4.Greencastle-Antrim (2-3) 467; 5.Shippensburg (1-4) 502; 6.Gettysburg (0-6) 560.
Top Individuals
1.Austin Green (Ch) 75; 2.(tie) Max Bell (Ch) and Grant Strawoet (JB) 76; 4.Nick Franki (Way) 77; 5.Carter Rajtik (Ch) 79; 6.Ben Weber (Way) 80; 7.Blake Hissong (JB) 81; 8.Jesse Helman (Ch) 82; 9.Tyler Bricker (Way) 84; 10.Hunter Heuer (GA) 85.
Other Chambersburg players: Sam Stonesifer 86, Matt Stonesifer 89.
Other James Buchanan players: Isaac Sipes 87, Austin Metzler 92, Garrett Malanka 93, Aaron Nagy 95.
Shippensburg players: Andrew Koser 87, Zaen Miller 94, Kane Hershey 103, Austin Springer 106, Andrew Stoner 120.
Other Greencastle players: Ellie Kotrady 92, Jason Reuter 93, Austin Stouffer 95, Ryan Blair 102, Ryan Ebbitt 102.
Other Waynesboro players: James Bennett 89, Austin Bryan 93, Garrett Eisenhauer 93.
Next match: Monday, at Chambersburg Country Club, noon.
