Ephs Win at Hamilton in Pohle's Last Tournament as Head Coach
Clinton, NY-- The men's golf team concluded its fall season today at the Hamilton Invitational, winning the event by a narrow two-stroke margin. Play switched over to the par-72 Skenandoa Golf Club, and the Ephs were able to hold onto their narrow overnight lead. The Ephs (613) fired another steady team total of 306 Sunday to take down RPI (615) and third place NYU (619) in the cold weather.
Individual medalist honors went to Hamilton junior Greg Scott (149) who followed up his 72 Saturday with a good 77 today. Grant Rosener (150) from RPI fired two rounds of 75 to finish second, and Eph junior Dylan Dethier (151) capped off another consistent season with a third place result.
Dethier led the way for Williams on Sunday, shooting 74 in the tough conditions. Sophomore Jake Goldenring had the biggest turnaround for the Ephs today, besting his Saturday score by seven to fire 75. First-year Michael Stone carded 78, and both Matt McCarron and Tony Liu turned in twin 79's.
|
| Rick Pohle |
This weekend also marked the last tournament of Head Coach Rick Pohle's tenure at Williams. He will retire from his position as Head Golf Coach and Head Pro at Taconic Golf Club at the end of the fall.
"I am extremely proud of our players for the way they competed this weekend; mainly because of the weather and the course conditions, but most of all for their determination," said Pohle. "I know they wanted to win the final event for me and I think at times they pushed a little too hard to get the results, but in the end they found a way to keep their perspective and get the job done."
"What a great way to end a career with a fall encompassing three tournament wins and an overall record of 63-4," Pohle stated. "I look back at the statement I made in the Fall Preview about not just preparing for the NESCAC Tournament -- our goal was to win every event we tee it up in; the guys nearly pulled it off!"
"I thought our two "new" players performed very well in their first away tournament (Tony Liu '16 & Michael Stone '16), when Ross (Bowen) and Jake (Abrahams) couldn't make the trip." Pohle added. "It just shows how deep a roster we have and it will only get deeper when Cody Semmelrock '14 returns from his semester abroad in Scotland and senior Jack Ervasti gets the winter to regain his competitive stroke for the spring. Dylan Dethier '14 had another fine tournament and his on course presence pushes the rest of the team to play better."
"Even though my official duties will end in November with the golf team, I will be busy making the arrangements for the 2013 spring break golf trip and setting up the Sunshine Invitational which the team will host in March," Pohle pointed out. "My goal will be to have everything planned as usual and then let the new golf coach decide if he wants to continue with the tradition. If nothing more, I'll look forward to help run the spring break tournament and hopefully get the team started on the right foot for their spring season."
"Cathy and I are looking forward to October 20th when alumni players from the last 29 years will be descending on Williamstown to close the chapter on our involvement with Williams golf," said Pohle. "Many of them know how much effort and personality Cathy brought to the current women's golf program dating back to to the early 1990's when she started the club team and eventually had them at the NCAA Championships after only three years as a recognized varsity program."
Pohle's illustrious 29-year career includes a 1936-541-8 record, 10 NESCAC titles, 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, and six NESCAC Coach of the Year awards. Just the third coach in program history, Pohle also coached four All-Americans and 10 National Golf Scholars. In 2006, Pohle was given the Gordon McCullough Award for contributions to New England Intercollegiate Golf. In 2008, he was named the Northeast Region Coach of the Year. Finally, in 2010, Pohle won the Labron Harris Award, presented by the Golf Coaches of America for contributions as a PGA member and a head college golf coach. He was the first Division III coach win the award.
Pohle's Ephs had particularly successful fall, winning three of their five events, and placing 2nd and 4th in the other two. The team has its sights set on qualifying for the NCAA Championship in the spring. The program's last appearance was in 2008.