RedStorm tops Tech in playoff, claims RSC crown

Rio Grande Sports Information
     DANIELS, W.Va. - The University of Rio Grande captured its first-ever River States Conference men's golf championship Tuesday afternoon, upending West Virginia University-Tech on the second playoff hole at The Resort at Glade Springs.
     The RedStorm, who began the day four strokes back of both the Golden Bears and Indiana University East, carded a final round 17-over par 305 on the Resort's Cobb Course to force the playoff.
     After a rules violation denied Rio the opportunity to win the crown on the first playoff hole, the RedStorm got the job done on playoff hole No. 2 to claim the program's first conference title and earn a berth to the NAIA National Championship, which is set for May 21-24 at the Dalton Golf and Country Club in Dalton, Ga.
     "I am so proud of this team. It took a lot of hard work to get where we are, but these guys deserve it all," said third-year Rio Grande head coach Lauren Lee. "We've had an amazing season. What an even better way to end it by heading off to the national tournament."
     Rio Grande - which made a methodical climb toward the top of the team leaderboard after settling in fourth place following the opening day of the 54-hole event - and WVU-Tech both finished at 53-over 917.
     IU East finished one shot behind the RedStorm and the Golden Bears at 918, while Indiana University Kokomo (+60--924) and Midway (Ky.) University (+61--925) rounded out a tightly-contested top five.
     "Each year, this team has gotten better and better," said Lee, whose squad lost to IU East in a playoff at the RSC Fall Preview in October. "What a great way for someone like (senior) Whit (Byrd), who has been there each to have the chance to finish his career as a conference champion and advance to the nationals."
     Individually, WVU-Tech's Bryson Beaver took medalist honors and also earned a spot in the national tournament by finishing at 2-under par 214. He recorded his second straight sub-par round of the tourney, finishing with a 1-under 71 on Tuesday.
     Beaver was also the only player in the field of 61 participants to finish the tournament under par.
     Rio Grande sophomore Rodrigo Portilla (Savilla, Spain) was a distant second at 6-over par 222 and IU East's Jake Miller finished third at 9-over 225.
     The trio was joined on the All-River States Conference First Team by Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College's Mason Compton and IU East's Sam Firebaugh, both of whom tied for fourth place at 11-over par 227.
     The All-RSC Second Team, comprised of the five individuals finishing in positions 6-10, included IU Kokomo's Corbin Robinson, junior Nicolas Gonzalez (Medellin, Columbia) of Rio Grande, IU Kokomo's Drew Wagner and the Midway duo of Hayes Mason and Jack Bedell.
     The All-RSC Third Team included WVU-Tech's Lukas Lange, IU Kokomo's Ryan Jones and Rio freshman Alfonso Baro Rosas (Cancun, Mexico) - all of whom tied for 11th place - as well as IU East's Austin Shelley, Midway's Gage Gregory, Point Park (Pa.) University's Tharcisse Kalinda and Hayden Williamson from IU Kokomo, all of whom tied for 14th place.
     For Rio Grande, Gonzalez finished seventh at 13-over 229; Baro Rosas tied for 11th at 17-over 233; freshman Juan Carlos Gil Perez (Malaga, Spain) tied for 23rd place at 21-over par 237; and Byrd (Pomeroy, OH) tied for 26th at 22-over 238.
     Beaver was named the RSC Golfer of the Year, while Will Barnes from IU East was the RSC Newcomer of the Year and WVU-Tech's Garrett Goosman captured the Thomas Harkelroad Coach of the Year award.
     The RSC also named its Men's Golf Champions of Character Team, with one honoree from each school who best exhibits the NAIA character values, along with the Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete Team for those with a 3.25 grade point average or higher not in their first year at their institution.
     Byrd was Rio Grande's representative on the Champions of Character team.
     RedStorm team members on the Scholar-Athlete list included Byrd, junior Eli Adkins (Stout, OH), sophomore Tanner Lisle (Racine, OH), sophomore Kameron Maple (Oak Hill, OH) and senior Zach Adkins (Albany, OH).