Valley Sports ReportMONTGOMERY — Athens senior Eli Hicks finished both the front nine and the back nine strong and sits atop the leaderboard after Day 1 of the District 4, Class AA boys golf championships here Thursday at the White Deer Golf Course.
Hicks birdied the par-4 ninth hole to finish the front nine with an even-par 36, and then birdied the par-3 17th and par-5 18th holes for a 1-over par 37 on the back nine.
Hicks' 73 is one shot better than Lewisburg's Bryce Bussom's 74, and two shots better than Loyalsock's Garrett Ranking's 75.
Five of Hicks' Wildcat teammates — junior Ty Owen, seniors Lucas Grenninger and Duncan Thetga, junior Peter Bertsch, and sophomore Jacob Saxon also made the cut, while Athens senior Collin Congdon, and the Sayre trio of freshman Kam Schrader, Junior Shaine Strickland, and senior Rommel Suba missed the cut.
Six golfers will advance to the PIAA Championships.
Owen and Grenninger currently sits in a six-way tie eighth place after carding rounds of 80. Grenninger birdied the par-5 second hole.
Saxon is in a three-way tie for 14th place after shooting an 82, which included birdie on the second hole, and par-5 14th hole.
Bertsch is tied for 23rd after a round of 86, and Thetga is tied for 16th with an 87, including a birdie on the par-4 11th hole.
The cutline was 88.
Schrader shot a 95 to lead Sayre's efforts, while Strickland had a 99, and Suba carded a 103.
Congdon shot a 98 for the Wildcats.
Day 2 of the District 4 Championships is Saturday at the Williamsport Country Club.
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IN PHOTO 1: Athens senior Eli Hicks. ... PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM and CHRIS MANNING.
