Kaleb Tanley

After three matches last week, two on the road and one at home, the Tyler Consolidated golf team now stands with a 15-39 season record.

The team traveled to the Par 35 course at Switzerland of Ohio Country Club in Beallsville, Ohio on Sept. 3, going up against some tough competition. The team from Magnolia took the overall team win with a score of 169. Barnesville placed second with 200; Tyler Consolidated placed third with 206, followed by Monroe Central with 224; and Bellaire St. John with 234.

Senior Nathan Kemp was the number one man for the Knights on the day, turning in a score of 42. Sean Camerlin scored a 50 in the match; Ty Pratt had a 57; Adam Cooper finished with a 57; Kyle Eastham scored 59; and Isaac Michael scored a 69.

“The players took on some hilly courses this week, complete with lots of side-hill lies and shots that were uphill or downhill,” said head coach of the Silver Knights, Joe Griffith.

“Switzerland of Ohio Country Club was in the best shape I have seen it lately. If the summer is very dry, the ball will roll down into the valleys on the course, but this time, the fairways were holding the shots. It was a nice cool evening-great for playing golf.”

Aaron Heasley

At home on Sept. 4 at the Par 34 Sistersville Country Club, the Knights again fared well, but finished with a team score of 202, just behind Wheeling Central with 165 and ahead of Paden City with 242.

Kemp led the way for all Knight golfers with a 43. Pratt scored 51 followed by Eastham, 53; Camerlin, 55; John Lancaster, 56; and Cooper, 63.

Kennedy Cain led all Paden City golfers participating in the match with a 59 on the day. Jeremy Mercer added his score of 60; Jake Pierce scored 60; Dean Frye, 63; Aaron Heasley scored 69; and Travis Leonard totaled 79 for the match.

The junior varsity teams got in a match for the day as well on Sept. 4 with Isaac Michael leading the Silver and Black with a score of 65. Levi Hudson scored 67; Kellsi Anderson had a 68; and Alex VanCamp, 68.

Paden City junior varsity team members, Logan Crawford and Kobe Wade turned in scores of 66 and 68 respectively.

“I was not pleased that our team score on the home course is still in the 200’s,” the Knight coach said. “It should be down in the 190’s or even 180’s.”

“The match at Golf Club of WV was another match that called upon the players to hit shots from spots that were not level. Several of our players did OK, but messed up on a hole or two and that really brought their scores up. “

The Consolidated golfers traveled to the Golf Club of West Virginia on Sept. 5 and saw a rough day on the course. St. Marys took the team win on the day, scoring 154. Williamstown scored 160 as a team, Ritchie had a 162 and Tyler Consolidated turned in a team score of 210.

With a round of 45, Nathan Kemp again led the Silver Knights on the course. Camerlin scored a 51 on the day; Eastham, 55; Lancaster, 59; Kaleb Tanley, 61; and Pratt added his score of 62.

Though he led the team with the low score on the day, Kemp said, “I had a terrible round at GCWV. I did not hit very good iron shots. I will be working on that part of my game before OVAC on Thursday.”

Ty Pratt, who also participated in every match of the week said, “I have had a couple of really bad rounds this week. Hopefully as we go into the last few weeks of the season, I will be able to come out of my slump.”

With the end of the 2013 in sight, coach Joe Griffith is anxious for his team to step up their play on the links. “We are now heading into the last couple of weeks of the season,” he said. “It’s time for the players to fine-tune their games for tournament action.”

The Knight golfers will host a match at home on Wednesday and will head to the OVAC tournament at Crispin on Thursday.