Photo by Cody Nespor Wheeling Park's Gavin Goodrich tees off on 1 during the OVAC 5A Golf Championship Thursday.

WHEELING — The finish did not have the same level of drama as last year, but the satisfaction was just as sweet as Gavin Goodrich and the Wheeling Park Patriots defended their OVAC 5A golf title Thursday afternoon on the Jones Course at Speidel Golf Club.

Goodrich won the 5A individual title last season, needing to win a three-way playoff to do so. Thursday was a different story, however, as Goodrich controlled the course to shoot 2-over 73, four shots clear of runner-up Ethan Cook from John Marshall.

“I won this title last year and I didn’t feel like I was really defending anything,” a proud Goodrich said after his round. “I just wanted to go out there and play the best that I could.”

A self-described “confidence player”, Goodrich found his stroke early after putting for birdie on 5. Even a couple of missteps could not trip him up, as he followed up double bogeys on 7 and 14 with birdies on 8 and 15.

“I had a few bumps on the road,” Goodrich admitted. “But I feel like I followed them up pretty good, I birdied both of the holes after that just really to drive home that I want this, I really wanted it bad.”

“I’m just tickled pink for him, it’s awesome,” Park coach Don Headley said. “It’s special, this has been his goal all four years…That’s what all his countless hours of practice goes into. I’m glad that it’s paid off for him.”

Park won its third straight team title and fifth in the last six years with a team score of 316, 22 shots better than runner-up Marietta (338), playing in its first tournament since joining the conference last year.

All five Patriots shot well Thursday, each one breaking 90.

“They played well,” Headley said. “We’ve been up and down on this course and the golf course has been really tough the last few weeks here. But, the Jones Course is just immaculate right now.”

Joining Goodrich were Campbell Koegler (78), Andrew Pennybacker (82), Noah Milhoan (83) and Will Koegler (88).

“The kids had to tough it out and fight through it and they did,” Headley said. “Campbell had a couple bad breaks and he still ground out a 78, which I’m so impressed by…He’s just that kind of player, he knows how to shoot in the 70s.”

Goodrich and Campbell Koegler both landed on the All-OVAC team, joined by Cook, Marietta’s A.J. Graham and Morgantown’s Solas Chhin-Kreiner.

John Marshall’s Colton Sprowls missed making the all-tournament team by one stroke, shooting 79. He led the field through 14 holes, but took a bad-luck big number on 16 to give way to Goodrich.

The second individual title gives Goodrich a leg up on his uncle, Tom ‘Bunja’ Goodrich, who was the 1987 OVAC Champion while at John Marshall.

“I kind of wanted to get another one on him,” Goodrich said. “He was a really good player back in the day and I credit everything that I did today to him.”

Morgantown, Parkersburg South and John Marshall finished third, fourth and fifth in the team standings.