Gayda, Wolves ace a big test

Updated: June 3, 2011 9:28PM

CROWN POINT — Rick Gayda lofted his shot off the tee box on the 17th hole at Lakes of the Four Seasons Country Club on Friday afternoon and stomped back to his bag while the ball went through its arc.

After grabbing his shoulder because of a twinge during his swing, the Boone Grove senior was upset because he thought his shot was falling short. Instead, Gayda turned around just in time to watch the ball hit beyond the 145-yard, par 3 and roll back into the cup for a hole-in-one — the first of his career.

It gave his score a boost, carding a 79, and wound up propelling the Wolves to their fifth straight Boone Grove Sectional team championship.

“I hit a gap wedge and (tweaked) my shoulder, so I grabbed my shoulder,” said Gayda, Boone Grove’s No. 3 golfer. “I was walking back to my bag and turned around for some reason and I saw it go in. It was pretty cool.”

Gayda didn’t bust out any crazy celebration moves, but others did.

“Everybody went crazy,” he said. “The Andrean coach did a hole-in-one dance. He was pretty excited.”

Gayda’s own coach, Gary King, was stunned — not just by the hole-in-one but also by his team edging Crown Point for the team title by six strokes — 322 to 328. Senior Nick Grubnich led the Bulldogs with a tournament-best 72, but it wasn’t enough.

“I’m absolutely in shock, to be honest with you,” King said. “The last few (years), I thought we had a good shot to win it, but this one … after what we turned in on the front nine compared to what Crown Point turned in on the front nine, I just didn’t think we had a chance.”

The Wolves’ top two performers, Tyler Nichol and Drake Devereux, each carded a 76. After that, it was up to the third and fourth guys to finish it off. Gayda’s 79 was huge, but Tony Spalla turning around a rough round on the back nine was just as big. He logged a 41 on the back after making the turn at 50 for a 91, which was enough to down Crown Point — which had No. 4 Pat Mudd card an 86 after starting off with a 37 on the front.

“Tony came through,” King said. “He turned his back nine around, (and) that hole in one was huge. It came at just the right time.”

It was the wrong time for the Bulldogs, who were seeking their first team sectional title since 2005 and hoping to complete a sweep of spring team sectional titles for their school. Crown Point had already won sectionals in baseball, softball and both girls and boys track.

“That would’ve been awesome,” said Grubnich, who won his second sectional medalist honor, after also winning as a sophomore. “People were making us think about (the spring sweep) — my friends at school on the baseball team and track teams. They made sure everyone knew about it.”

Andrean finished third to advance to the LaPorte Regional next Friday, led by Jack Musgrabe’s 80 and Brendan Mulshine’s 81. Advancing as individuals were Merrillville’s Naim Muhammad (88), Lowell’s Kyle Pratt (86) and Hobart’s Garrett Bianchi, whose 74 was second only to Grubnich.

“This is only my second time getting out of the sectional,” Bianchi said. “I missed by two strokes last year. I’ve always hated this course because I usually never play good here. I’m actually happier that I finally conquered the course.”

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