HINCKLEY, Ohio -- On Thursday, Boys' Golf became the first Rocky River team to swing into action for the 2021-22 school year. And in a sport literally built on counting swings, the Pirates acquitted themselves well despite being up against a deep and talented field.
River claimed 12th place in a field of 20 teams in the Brunswick High School-hosted Tee-Off Classic played at Pine Hills Golf Club. The Pirates posted four-man total of 333 on what was a marvelous day played under azure-blue skies.
Sophomore Lucas Dietrich made his way around the 6,546-yard, par-71 layout in a team-best 74 strokes. Dietrich posted a 40 on the outward nine and a 34 coming in. His 74 marked a career best. Among individuals, Dietrich placed 10th.
Fellow sophomore Nick Tianello carded an 83. Senior Sam Vanucci and junior Owen Toole rounded out Rocky River's team score; each fired an 80 in what marked their varsity debut.
Dietrich's back-nine 34 came on eight pars and one birdie. The birdie came on the 483-yard par-5 15th. For the round, the 2020 All-Great Lakes Conference First Teamer hit nine greens and registered 29 putts. Prior to Thursday, Dietrich's best 18-hole score had been a 78, which he logged at Oberlin Country Club Sept. 19. His average score as a freshman was 82.0.
Tianello recorded River's only other birdie in the season lid-lifter. He cozied his second shot on the 395-yard par-4 17th to 6 feet and sank the putt to card a 3.
St. Ignatius won Thursday's tournament with a team score of 287. Hoban's Nolan Haynes was the tournament medalist with a 4-under 67.
"This was a really good effort today," said Head Coach David Hendrickson, who is entering his sixth year at the helm of a program that has won six straight GLC titles. "Especially considering that we had three guys making varsity debuts (Vanucci, Toole, Robby Lang). The greens here can beat you up if you get in some wrong spots, but I thought we battled all day. We take a lot of positives forward with us."
The go-forward for River picks up again Friday with the Great Lakes Conference Preview at Rawiga Golf Club in Seville, Ohio.
CANNON FIRE ...
YOUNG BUCS: River's junior varsity opened its season Thursday with a 346-355 victory over Avon Lake at Big Met Golf Course in Fairview Park. Sophomores Wes Bennett (85), Jack Hurt (86), and Luke Petrus (86) were the Pirates' top scorers.
TWO TICKS BETTER: The Pirates' 333 in the Tee-Off Classic bested two 2020 performances on the same track. River shot 335 at Pine Hill on two occasions last season.
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by Skip Snow