Parkersburg South golfer Cam Fallon, right, is congratulated by coach John Badgley, after winning the City Cup title earlier this season at Parkersburg Country Club. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)
WHEELING — Once rivalry week passed, Parkersburg South golfer Cam Fallon flipped the switch and is currently among the leaders heading into the final day of the West Virginia High School State Golf Tournament.
Over the past three weeks and change since the Patriots lost to city-rival Parkersburg High School as part of rivalry week, all Fallon has done is take medalist honors at Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Tournament, placed third at the Class AAAA South Regional Tournament and moved into a tie for first place among the individual leaderboard at the West Virginia State Meet.
At the Jones Course at Oglebay Park Golf Course on Tuesday, Fallon shot a 5-over par 76 – the same total turned in Wheeling Park’s Will Koegler. In his third trip to the state meet, Fallion is seeking a spot on the all-tournament team.
“Cam played great today – he really did,” South coach John Badgley said. “He was on his game, he putted great, got off the tee well and was aggressive with his iron play.”
Starting his round on the 10th hole, and perhaps the more difficult of the two nines, Fallon bogeyed five of his first eight holes before making birdie on the 18th hole. On a course where par feels like birdie, Fallon played his final nine holes at 1-over with only one bogey on hole No. 4.
“If you look at the individual scores, nobody is under par – this course plays tough,” Badgley said. “The back nine is a little more difficult. There he limited a couple of holes to bogey, which was good. He was able to keep damage to a minimum.
“Today, he did a nice job around the green. He turned it up on the front nine. I was glad he was able to get that back nine out of the way early.”
This week marks the third and fourth competitive rounds for Fallon as part of the Parkersburg South schedule. In August in conjunction with the Callaway Junior Tour High School School Series, he shot a 77 at Oglebay. His medalist score at OVAC was even-par 71.
“Before this season, Cam had nightmares about this course – he had not played well, but now he his making the adjustment to a course he knows well,” Badgley said. “When the announcement was made the state tournament was returning to Wheeling, he was not happy but he knew what he had to do.
“That next morning after the match against Parkersburg, Cam talked about having a lapse in concentration. He said he didn’t play like should have. We talked about the OVAC and the scorecard read zero, so put up a good game. He was able to bounce back and be medalist.”
As a team, South shares sixth place with Cabell Midland at 226. Seeded eighth, the Patriots are just four strokes back of fifth place.
Also representing South at the state meet are Jackson Ruble (88), Cooper Welch (96) and Harry Silvis (92). Parkersburg High School also had two golfers qualify as individuals. Jack Louden shot an 85, while Dominic Way closed out with a 103.
Class AA
At press time, Doddridge County was making a serious run at a state title.The foursome of Caleb Sutton, Trayton Hall, Cooper Hall and Jerod Trent was holding steady in first place through 12 holes – an 11-stroke margin over second Petersburg, which was complete through 14 holes.
Sutton was setting the pace among the 40golfer field at 6-over through 12 holes. Summer County Xavier Honaker and Wyoming East’s Talan Muscari were tied at 8-over on the back nine.
Individual qualifier Madilyn Buttrey was on the bubble for a possible all-state recognition. With one hole remaining in her round, the Yellowjacket junior was tied for eighth place at 11-over.
Roane County’s sole representative, sophomore Wattson Nichols, sat in 37th place with one hole remaining.
Class A
Area golfers able to complete their first round on Tuesday included the Wirt County duo of JJ Smith (87) and Wyatt Boice (111), along with Gilmer County’s Troy Woodford (87).
Area team still con the course at press time were Ritchie County (Carson Hall, Jacob White, Talan McBrayer, Johnathan Freeland) in fifth place through nine holes and St. Marys (Trevor Maley, Tripp Morrison, Desmond Parks, Carter Edwards) in sixth place through 14 holes.
At the halfway mark, Hall was 8-over and tied for fourth place with Maley, who had completed 14 holes.
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