Foothill’s Nolasco wins title in playoff

RENO -- Foothill's Matt Nolasco saw Coronado's Scott Lewis hit a monster drive on the first playoff hole at the Class 4A boys state golf tournament Tuesday and had one thought -- hit the ball farther.

Nolasco did, and he birdied the par-5 ninth to win the tournament's individual title at Somersett Country Club.

"He probably hit one of the best drives I've ever seen him hit, and I've been playing with him for 10 years," Nolasco said. "I ended up outdriving him by 15 or 20 yards."

Nolasco said he missed a 10-foot eagle putt before hitting the short birdie putt to win the championship.

"I had a tap in, maybe a 1-footer, for the championship, and I drained it," Nolasco said. "It felt really good."

Nolasco's win salvaged some sense of pride for Southern Nevada golfers. Northern Nevada's teams took the top two spots, with Spanish Springs taking the title at 817. Carson was second at 823, followed by Bishop Gorman at 833.

The Gaels were assessed a 10-stroke penalty for violating a tournament rule against practicing on the course Sunday.

Nolasco shot 2-under-par 70 on Tuesday to match first-round leader Lewis at 146 and force the playoff. Nolasco had five birdies and three bogeys in his round.

"I hit the ball great. I don't think anybody in the state hit the ball as good as me this week," Nolasco said. "I hit more quality shots than anybody. That was the key. I hit a lot of quality shots and gave myself a lot of chances within 10 feet."

Only 11 shots separated first-place Carson and sixth-place Green Valley after Monday's first round.

Spanish Springs shot a tournament best round of 397 on Tuesday to claim the title.

It marked the second straight state title for the North (Churchill County in 2006) and the first time the North has swept the top two spots since the tournament went to its current format in 2004. Each of the three leagues -- the Northern 4A, the Sunset and the Sunrise -- get two teams to state.

"We talked about not giving up," Spanish Springs coach Victor Sherbondy said of his chat with the team after Monday's round, when the Cougars were tied with Gorman for third, three strokes behind Carson and one behind Palo Verde.

Individually, Southern golfers took four of the top five spots. Chris Plappert of Arbor View was third at 151, followed by Braydon Jacobs of Churchill County (153) and Joseph Harrison of Green Valley (154).

Two Southern players each had a hole-in-one. Boulder City's Greg Lee aced the 161-yard 12th hole (3A teams began on the back nine), and Gorman's Richard Pawlasek used an 8-iron to ace the 168-yard third hole.

• CLASS 3A -- Faith Lutheran's Charlie Harrison fired a 5-under 67 on Tuesday to win the Class 3A individual state title at Somersett Country Club.

Harrison bogeyed three of his first five holes but recovered to shoot the only round in the 60s in either the Class 4A or 3A tournaments. He finished at 1-under 143.

The Crusaders also won the team title, shooting a 403 on Tuesday to finish at 825. Boulder City was second at 852.

Boulder City's Greg Lee aced the 161-yard 12th hole.