GRANBY — Evan Rutherford and Eli Kayser-Hirsh had hoped to make a run at qualifying for the state tournament.
Instead, the Amherst Regional juniors and their young teammates gained valuable experience for next season.
The Hurricanes finished eighth out of eight teams with a score of 375 at the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament, held Monday at Westover Golf Course.
“We’re looking good for next year,” Rutherford said.
Rutherford tied for 14th with a 14-over-par 86 (45-41).
“I let myself down,” he said.
Kayser-Hirsh, who just missed qualifying as a sophomore, tied for 26th with a 92 (46-46).
“That’s golf,” Kayser-Hirsh said. “Some days you’ll do well and some days you’ll … I’m mean I had a practice round yesterday and I shot a 79. That’s golf. The next day you can blow up. That’s how it works. It gets the best of us.”
Agawam (332) edged Longmeadow by one stroke to take home the team title. The top two teams and six individuals advanced to the state tournament next week.
“We were trying to make the cut for states,” Kayser-Hirsh said. “A 79 probably would have got me there, but that’s life. You don’t do well sometimes. That’s OK. You move on. I got another year.”
Piet Hartman (94) and Ben Oates (103) contributed to Amherst’s score. Chase Lashway (115) and Skyler Ferro (120) also played.
What separates Amherst from most teams is its youth. Hartman, Lashway and Ferro are seventh-graders and look the part. Oates is a freshman.
“One of the people in my group asked if they were part of the team,” Rutherford said. “I said, ‘Yup, they’re with us.’”
Colby Masse, of Belchertown, competed as an individual. He tied for 26th with a 92.
Masse started on No. 8 and struggled over his first nine holes with a 48. He closed with a 44.
“I was hitting my driver better and it really helped my game,” Masse said.
Northampton’s Asa Geller finished tied for 30th with a 93 (46-47).
“I couldn’t find much consistency with my shot,” Geller said. “I was pretty good putting, just a lot of putts didn’t drop.”
Peter Wurszt, of Minnechaug, earned medalist honors with a 75. He won by two strokes over Longmeadow’s Kevin Allard.
Agawam went 3-4 with Brandon Smith (78) and Angela Garvin (80).
