Third time a charm from Pryce

  Clinton St. Anne's golfer wins boys' WOSSAA by one stroke over Watt

    while London Oakridge runs way with the team title

Thursday, September 27, 2018

By Rob J. Ross 

UNION, ON. -  Third time is a charm for Sheldon Pryce.

The Clinton St. Anne's golfer finished with the low score of 76, over 18 holes, to capture the WOSSAA boys' golf title, at the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club.

Pryce edged Mitch Watt, of St. Marys DCVI, by one stroke and was two shots lower than Tillsonburg Glendale's Griffin Sinden and London Oakridge's Isabella Portokalis, who both tied for third, carding a 78.

"I didn't think a 76 was going to win it, but I just stuck to my game plan of keeping it in the fairways, keep it on the greens. A good day overall," Pryce said. "I had no birdies. I had 14 pars and four bogeys. It was a little frustrating that way, but I'm happy that a 76 was able to get it done and looking forward to going to OFSAA."

It's the third trip to WOSSAA for the Grade 11 student and first time qualifying for the high school provincial championship.

"The last two years I hadn't even broke 80 here," said Pryce. "It's a tough course. There are a couple holes with blind shots."

Midway through his round, at two over par, Pryce started to feel confident he could finish atop the leader-board.

"I thought if I could rally up a few more pars and try to make a birdie I could have a real good chance," Pryce said. "Today was par after par after par. It was kind of a long day, but I'm glad 76 was good enough."

The top team and the top two individual low scores (Pryce and Watt this year), not on the top team, advance to OFSAA, at the Royal Ashburn Golf Club, in Oshawa, October 10-11th.  

"It's a cool experience," said Pryce of advancing to OFSAA "I'm not to worried about where I'll finish. I'll just play my game and do my best."

The Oakridge foursome of Portokalis, Calvin Norris (79), Kevin Frehner (81) and Jillian Friyia (87), took the team title, winning by 12 strokes over runner-up Stratford St. Mike's. The top three golfers on each team count towards team points.

"They're all good players. I don't do much coaching," said Oakridge coach Mike Granger. "They've all played Tyson Tour before, so they'll seasoned tournament players."

Lucas wins gold after placing second behind the Central Elgin Titans in 2017.

Portokalis won the OFSAA girls' championship in 2015, while in Grade nine. She is currently the two-time TVRA Central boys' champion.

St. Mike's (Riley Mathieson, 80, Patrick Holloway, 84, Ben Walker, 86) was one shot better than Arva Medway (Ben Landers, 80, Noah Ahrens 84, Ethan Tichenoff, 87).

East Elgin Eagle Landon Underhill had the top individual result for Elgin County schools, with an 81. His Eagles' teammate John Orlebar, the TVRA Tri-County champion, finished with an 84.

Dorchester's Jayden Boddy carded an 82.