HINCKLEY, Ohio -- Rocky River closed out its regular season in style, earning a 162-163 victory over Brunswick Thursday.

Winning for the sixth time in as many matches since Sept. 9, the Pirates (12-2) got clutch performances from Nick Tianello and Owen Toole in the one-stroke triumph. Tianello carded a career-best 34 on the 3,406-yard inward nine at Pine Hills Golf Club. Toole fired a season-best 39 to give River a second sub-40 round.

Tianello opened with a birdie on the 460-yard, par-4 10th. He chipped in for birdie on the 185-yard, par-3 12th and then added a birdie on the 425-yard, par-4 17th after sticking his second shot to within 5 feet of the flagstick. Tianello got up and down on the challenging 18th to secure his career-low match score.

Toole's round -- which included six straight pars in one stretch -- tied a career-best.

Backing up Tianello and Toole on the score sheet were Luke Dietrich (44) and Robby Lang (45).

"It was good to see a couple kids go low today," said head coach David Hendrickson. "We've got a couple things to clean up, but I'm happy with the way we're playing heading into the postseason."

Rocky River will compete in the Great Lakes Conference Championship Tournament at Rawiga Golf Club (Seville, Ohio) on Friday.


by Skip Snow

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