Bluevale’s Henderson strikes again
Grade 11 student defends local title with a 2 under par
PETERSBURG — Dylan Henderson is a back-to-back champion.
The Bluevale student drained a 10-foot putt on the 18th hole Wednesday to win individual honours at the Waterloo County high school golf championship.
Henderson shot an even-par 72 at the Rebel Creek Golf Club just west of Kitchener. He had a twoday total of 2-under 142 and finished one shot ahead of Bennett Ruby (72-71) of Waterloo Collegiate and two clear of first-round leader Xav Ayora (69-74) of Grand River.
“It’s a treat to win this, to come back and defend my title,” said Henderson, who is in Grade 11. “It will definitely be on my resumé, it’s a big tournament for me.”
The silver lining for Ruby was leading WCI to the team championship, breaking Bluevale’s twoyear run at the top. Ruby combined with Jonah McPhee, Sean Tippin and Ryan DeWolfe to finish one shot ahead of Bluevale in the team standings. Waterloo-Oxford was in third, nine shots behind the winners.
Victoria Gates of Huron Heights shot a two-day total of 173 (89-84) to win the WCSSAA girls championship by six shots over Kyra Vandervoort of Preston.
The high school season continues at next week’s Central Western Ontario (CWOSSA) championship at the Listowel Golf Club. The girls play Tuesday and the boys compete Wednesday with trips to the Oct. 11-12 all-Ontario (OFSAA) championship on the line.
Henderson, Ruby and Ayora all competed for the Whistle Bear Junior Performance Team and consider each other to be friends. That fact made for an enjoyable round of golf as the three competed under ideal conditions at Rebel Creek. “It was a great atmosphere, just like a round at the home course,” said Henderson.
Ruby, another Grade 11 student who enjoyed the camaraderie of the final grouping, was pleased with the team victory and is hopeful the boys can do the same thing at CWOSSA.
The Vikings go into that tournament as defending champions, and Ruby sees no reason they can’t repeat.
“If everyone plays well, I think we have a good chance of doing it again and getting back to OFSAA,” he said.
District 8 schools will compete Thursday at Rockway and Doon golf courses to determine which teams will make it to CWOSSA. The actual District 8 championship will be staged Oct. 5 at Grey Silo.