Photo by Cody Nespor Wheeling Park senior Gavin Goodrich tips his hat to the crowd after putting for par on hole 18 during the WVSSAC State Tournament Wednesday at the Jones Course.

WHEELING — When Gavin Goodrich sank his putt for par on hole 18, he knew he had clinched himself an individual West Virginia state title.

As he tipped his hat to the applauding crowd gathered at the clubhouse on the Jones Course Wednesday, it once again proved that old cliche that hard work and dedication do indeed eventually pay off.

“I’m just really, really happy at this moment of my life,” the Wheeling Park senior said after his round. “Winning a state championship has always kind of been a goal of mine. It’s been an unbelievable day out there on the Jones and I just kind of thought of it as my final round (in high school).”

Goodrich’s par on 18 gave him a score of 2-over 73 during round two of the WVSSAC State Tournament Wednesday. It was the best round of the tournament from any golfer, giving him an event-best two-day score of 149 (76+73).

“I didn’t really give a lot of shots up, I feel like I just saved every possible shot that I could have,” Goodrich explained.

“We’ve been rooting for him for four years to win this thing,” Park coach Don Headley said. “He’s the most polite, nicest, friendliest golfer in the whole wide world. He’s just a terrific kid and it’s unbelievable how good he is. You wouldn’t want anybody else in the world to win the whole thing other than him, at least in my eyes.”

The Patriots claimed the Class AAA team title with a two-day score of 481, 11 better than runner-up Cabell Midland. It is the seventh state title in school history and it came 20 years to the day after the Patriots’ first-ever championship in 2002.

Goodrich and the Patriots entered Wednesday with leads, albeit small ones. Goodrich led by a single stroke while the team was ahead by eight. No lead is safe on the ever-challenging Jones Course, however, especially ones that small.

“We probably were behind standing on the tee at 14 (Wednesday),” Headley explained. “We were at least even or down one. When all four groups came through 14 and 15, we were two under as a team and I think we gained seven shots in those two holes. That’s what pushed us to the front.”

Goodrich, too, was pushed as he fell into a three-way tie for the individual lead after the first nine holes Wednesday. Despite that, Goodrich said the usual nerves he gets when playing in a tournament were replaced with a calmness Wednesday, at least after he ate breakfast.

“It was insane, it was absolutely insane,” Goodrich said. “I ate breakfast this morning and I barely kept it down. I get so nervous and so worked up for golf tournaments and for some reason I was just really calm (Wednesday). I knew that this was my tournament.”

A birdie on 15 gave him a three-shot lead over Hurricane’s Savannah Hawkins, which he held onto until the end. Hawkins finished four shots behind Goodrich in second place and Cabell Midland’ Jack Michael finished five behind in third.

“She was a fantastic opponent, she was awesome,” Goodrich said of Hawkins. “It really came down to just who was going to hit some really great shots and take advantage of it. I feel like me, Jack and Savannah just had a fantastic duel today and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Goodrich was far from the only Patriot to play well in the tournament as classmate Campbell Koegler finished the event in a tie for fourth place at 16-over 158 (77+81). Noah Milhoan finished in a tie for 20th with a score of 178 (87+91).

“That’s the plan at the Jones Course,” Headley said. “If you can shoot three 80s, you’re usually in every situation. You’re not going to win every one of them, but you’re pretty close if you can put three 80s on the board.”

Goodrich and Koegler landed on the all-state team, which includes the top eight golfers in the class. John Marshall’s Colton Sprowls also made the all-state team after shooting 166 (82+84) to finish in a tie for seventh place.

Wheeling Park considers the Jones Course its home course. Playing there numerous times this season gave the Patriots the advantage of already knowing the course.

“Advantage is an understatement,” Goodrich corrected. “I absolutely love this golf course. Kids literally come here and hate the golf course, I come out here and I love this place, it just fits me.”

“They are tested and battle tested from playing this place every day and that’s why they’re good,” Headley said. “This is the reason they’re all good, because they play the Jones Course.”

“You’ve got to love the Jones for it to love you back and I really do love this place and everything about it,” Goodrich said.