Prep Golf: Staley, Hubs victorious in MVAL Antietam Championships

North Hagerstown captured its second straight MVAL Antietam Conference team title, with senior Aaron Staley taking home medalist honors on Friday at Black Rock Golf Course.

The Hubs, who will now gear up as a team for the Maryland Class 3A/4A state tournament on Monday at College Park, posted a 309 for first place, well ahead of Williamsport, which was second with 344 strokes, and Smithsburg, which was third with 353 strokes.


Staley was in a battle with Williamsport’s Ryan Crabtree for individual honors, and when Crabtree posted a bogey on the 18th hole, Staley secured first place with a par to finish off a 1-under-par 71. Crabtree finished at even-par 72.

North received a big boost in its team scoring from sophomore Kyle Moir, who posted a career-best 4-over 76 to tie Smithsburg’s Kyle Huntzberry for third.

“We’re happy to win again,” said North coach Joel Rice. “Hopefully it gives us some momentum heading into Monday at the states.”

Also for North, Nate Parchment shot a 79 to tie for fifth, Andrew Miguel shot an 83 and Chad Shindle shot an 86.

Staley and Crabtree were deadlocked through the front nine, each shooting 3-under 33s. A birdie on No. 12 helped give Staley a two-stroke lead.

Crabtree got back into a tie for the lead with a pair of pars on Nos. 14 and 15, while Staley had back-to-back bogeys.

After Crabtree got a par on the par-3 No. 17 by two-putting from nearly 60 feet, it was Staley who made a huge par to not fall behind. He hit a pitch shot from off the green that left him with a 20-footer to save par, and he rolled it in to remain even.

“I thought he would make that putt all along,” said Crabtree.

The 18th, a par 4, became the decisive hole.

Staley drove to the middle of the fairway and then went over the green on his approach shot, while Crabtree came up well short of the green on his second shot from the rough on the left.

Staley chipped within 8 feet of the cup, while Crabtree’s third shot was about 5 feet left of the pin.

Staley made the putt for par, then watched Crabtree’s putt lip out of the left side of the cup.

“It was my best round of golf at Black Rock,” said Crabtree. “I left some shots out there.”

Staley, coming off a nine-hole 32 two days ago at Worthington Manor, had an eagle 3 on the par-5 No. 1 and made three other birdies.

“You could go at the greens today and I made more putts than usual,” said Staley. “This gives me confidence for Monday.”

Staley and Huntzberry will be making their fourth appearances at states. Crabtree will make his first.

It was the third straight year Staley took Antietam medalist honors. He won with a a 77 in 2010 and a 74 in 2011. As a freshman in 2009, he tied Smithsburg’s Chris Bushey with an 81 in 39-degree weather, but Bushey was declared the winner by the USGA tiebreaker method of back-nine scores.