On a day in which area competitors enjoyed a great deal of success, Riverside junior Nick Popely truly had a day to remember Tuesday in the North Coast Junior Golf Tour stop at Powderhorn Golf Course in Madison Township.
Popely, the defending medalist in the Star Beacon Golf Invitational, fired the first hole-in-one of his career by acing the par-three, 124-yard 14th hole with a TaylorMade gap wedge while using a Titleist 1 ball. That helped power the son of Janice and Jed Popely of Painesville Township to a 73 and a one-shot victory in the boys 14-15 age group over Erie’s David Rinderle, who was playing in the same foursome.
Popely and Rinderle ran away from the rest of the 14-15 field. Their next closest pursuer was Nick Lattanzi of Chagrin Falls, who shot an 81. They did get somewhat of a push from the other members of their foursome — Matt Ranney of Mentor, who tied for fourth with an 82, and Aurora’s Bud Radis, who tied for sixth with an 83.
His big shot came on Popely’s fifth hole of the day as the second member of his group to tee off on the whole.
“I hit it and it rolled up, and one of the guys said they thought it hit the pin, but I didn’t know until we walked up and picked the ball out of the hole,” Popely said. “My heart stopped a little. Matt hit one to about a foot right after that.”
Popely had a couple of lucky charms with him.
“I marked the ball with ‘I love Maggie (Dotts, his girlfriend and Riverside classmate),’ ” he said. “She picked my outfit, a blue Nike shirt with a green stripe and navy blue shorts. I think I’ll wear it every day from now on. I’ll just have to keep washing it.”
Their shots at glory actually had a bit of a negative effect on the foursome.
“Everyone had to calm down a little,” Popely said. “I had to stop and think I still had 13 holes to play. I parred the 15th, but bogeyed the next two. Then I settled down.”
Other local players in that age group were Concord Township’s Allan Poe, who also had an 83. Jefferson resident and Perry High School sophomore Jay Bowler was 10th with an 85.
Popely was not alone among area golfers with a fine performance, though. Geneva’s Danielle Nicholson shot an 81 to top the girls 12-15 age group by three shots over Concord Township’s Emily Jereb.
Concord Township’s Danielle Misencik shot a 92 to win medalist honors in the girls 16-19 age group. That was good for a one-shot victory over Poland’s Angela Molaskey.
Painesville’s Benjamin Meola finished second in the in boys 12-13 division. His 86 was seven shots behind Warren’s Ryan Fowler. Ashtabula’s Ryan Nappi was fifth in that age group with a 97.
The best round of the day was turned in by Willoughby’s Cory Blanchette in the boys 16-19 age group with a 70. Madison’s Zach Fedele tied for 12th in that class with an 80.
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