Freshmen snap Sophomore streak in Eagle Cup VIII

(MERIDIAN) - With the Sophomores riding a seven-time winning streak into the final day of Eagle Cup VIII, the 2-2 overall score didn’t seem like a tie, but just added some drama to the Sophomore dominated series versus the Freshmen. Confidence ran high for the Sophomores as five points where up for grabs at historic Northwood Country Club for the Singles Matches that would determine the Champion. That Sophomore confidence would quickly disappear on a cool, crisp winter afternoon as the young Freshmen, at one point led 4 of 5 matches at the turn.

Match #1 featured Brandt Garon of the freshman team against roommate and sophomore Cory Williamson. A tight match all the way around until it looked as though Garon was about to close it out on #16. Leading 2 UP with 3 to play, a win on #16 would close it out, Garon hit his approach shot to 10 feet while Williamson’s second dfound the hazard on the right side of the par-5. After a penalty stroke and a drop, Williamson was hitting his fourth shot from 20 yards inbetween the hazard and the cart path while Garon was eyeing a rather short birdie putt, looked as though the match was over, then Williamson, on an admittedly “thin” chip, hit the pin and sunk the shot for a miracle birdie- then Garon missed his putt as Williamson not only stole the hole he came back from the dead to make the match 1 UP for Garon with 2 to play. Garon would go on to win the match 1 UP and earn the Freshmen their first lead of the Eagle Cup 3-2.

Match #2 featured freshman Bo Reed against Easton Key, playing for the Sophomore team. Reed led most of the way as this match remained close also. On #17, with Reed 2UP, Key was forced to make a birdie or lose the match, he missed and all the sudden with Reeds 3&2 victory, the Freshmen were just one point away from their first Eagle Cup victory in school-history.

Match #5 ended before the final hole also as sophomore Tanner Sparks defeated freshman Oscar Mariscal 2&1. Sparks led pretty much the entire day and enjoyed a comfortable lead, although Mariscal did cut it to 1 on #10. With the Sparks victory, the Sophomores looked like they were about to battle back and with just two matches left on the course, the score was FRESH 4, SOPH 3.

The next two matches would decide the Eagle Cup.

Match #3 featured an international feel as Austrian Clemens Dvorak, a freshman, squared off against Englishman, Nick Hawkes, a sophomore. Back and forth early, Dvorak started to pull away on the back but Hawkes, in true British form, held on and the match went to the final hole with Dvorak 1 UP, a win out of the freshman and the Cup was theirs, a halve out of the Sophomores and they could capture the Cup still with a win in the final match. It wasn’t to be for the 8th time, as for the first time ever, the Freshmen team won thanks to Dvorak’s 1 UP victory over Hawkes.

Match #4 featured Garrett Westbrook of the sophomores and Adam Monsen of the freshmen team. Monsen mounted a surprising 3 UP lead early through 8 holes but Westbrook, the teams captain and returning NJCAA All American, rallied back on the back nine to win 1 UP and even though the Cup was already decided he showed true determination in earning the 4th pint for the Sophomores.

The final score ended up Freshmen 5 to Sophomores 4, as now, for the first time ever- “Freshmen” will be engraved on the Eagle Cup. Eagle Cup IX will be coming next Fall in 2010.


Day One
Four-Ball Match play-Northwood CC
Match 1- Nick Hawkes/Tanner Sparks defeated Bo Reed/Brandt Garon 2 UP
Match 2- Clemens Dvorak/Oscar Mariscal defeated Garret Westbrook/Cory Williamson 1UP

Day Two
Alternate Shot Match play-Briarwood CC
Match 1- Tanner Sparks/Cory Williamson defeated Adam Monsen/Brandt Garon 6&5
Match 2- Clemens Dvorak/Oscar Mariscal defeated Nick Hawkes/Garrett Westbrook 1UP

Day Three
Singles Match play-Northwood CC
Match 1- Brandt Garon (FR) defeated Cory Williamson (SO) 1UP
Match 2- Bo Reed (FR) defeated Easton Key (SO) 3&1
Match 3- Garrett Westbrook (SO) defeated Adam Monsen (FR) 1UP
Match 4- Clemens Dvorak (FR) defeated Nick Hawkes (SO) 1UP
Match 5- Tanner Sparks (SO) defeated Oscar Mariscal (FR) 2&1

Point Totals
(after Rd 2)
Sophomores 4
Freshmen 5

Captains:
• Sophomore Team- Garrett Westbrook
• Freshman Team- Clemens Dvorak
History:
Eagle Cup Date Winner
Eagle Cup I Fall 2006: Sophomores
Eagle Cup II Spring 2007: Sophomores
Eagle Cup III Fall 2007: Sophomores
Eagle Cup IV Spring 2008: Sophomores
Eagle Cup V Fall 2008: Sophomores
Eagle Cup VI Spring 2009: Sophomores
Eagle Cup VII Fall 2009: Sophomores
Eagle Cup VIII Spring 2010: Freshmen