GREENVILLE — It is an addage every golf coach preaches to his players before every match.
Every shot counts.
And the Greenville boys golf team found that out the hard way Monday in MVL action, losing to visiting Stebbins 180-181 in a heartbreaker on the back nine at Turtle Creek Golf Course.
“Every kid on both teams can look back and think of shot here or a putt there that could have made a difference,” Greenville coach Brian Stickel said. “We have won some matches on tiebreakers.”
Warren Hartzell again led Greenville with a 40, sharing overall medalist honors.
That included a brilliant birdie on the always difficult 18th hole.
Hartzell, who started on the 16th hole, rolled in a six-foot putt from near the back fringe to record a three on the par-4.
Ash Williams, Jack Marchal and Alex Kolb all carded 47s, while Sam Bankson had a 50 and Evan Saylor came in with a 52.
“We always seem to struggle on the back nine here (at Turtle Creek) and I am not sure why,” Stickel said. “We shouldn’t. We practice on this nine all the time.”
The loss dropped Greenville to 12-3 overall and 5-3 in the MVL, while Stebbins improved to 5-4 overall and 4-3 in the MVL.
“We have lost three matches and all three have been league matches,” Stickel said. “But, we are having a great season, no question about that.”
As the regular season winds down — and with no MVL postseason tournament — the Green Wave are pointing towards the upcoming sectional tournament.
“We just have to find a way to get a little bit better,” Stickel said. “That is what you have to do. All three teams we lost to (Troy, Tippecanoe and Stebbins) are in our sectional, so we have to find a way to beat them.”
Greenville was back in action Tuesday, traveling to Shelby Oaks to play Sidney in another MVL match.
