Head PGA professional, William Wallis,and PGA assistant professional, William Street, of New Haven CC, put on quite the show at Madison Country Club for The TaylorMade-adidas PGA Pro-Assistant Championship shooting a combined four-under 66.
Their score took the championship the into a sudden death playoff against head PGA professional, Marc Bayram, and apprentice professional, Jacob Halligan, who had finished earlier with a four-under 66. After just onehole, Wallis and Street were able to tap in for birdie and the victory at Madison CC.
TaylorMade-adidas PGA Pro-Assistant Championshi
1 William Wallis William Street New Haven CC 34-32--66-4 $1,600.00
2 Marc Bayram Jacob Halligan Timberlin GC 32-34--66-4 $1,000.00
T3 Dave Dell Michael Nordstrom Springfield CC 33-34--67-3 $575.00
T3 Ron Dellostritto Josh Kozyra Wethersfield CC 31-36--67-3 $575.00
T3 Tim Gavronski Tom DelRosso Shuttle Meadow CC 30-37--67 -3$575.00
T3 Tim Quirk Chuck Edler Longmeadow CC 33-34--67 -3 $575.00
T7 Jim Alexander Mark Farrell H. Smith Richardson GC 34-34--68 -2 $275.00
T7 Frank Carta Craig Jasinski Springfield CC 33-35--68 -2 $275.00
T7 Dave Dell Brett McCormick Madison CC 35-33--68 -2$275.00
T7 Bill Whaley Larry Antinozzi TPC River Highlands 32-36--68 -2 $275.00

In a spot normally reserved for golf, I think this is a special reason to delve into high school basketball.

Charlie Bentley, second all time with 655 victories, has retired after 34 years as Harding's boys' basketball coach. That includes nine state championships.

In a story reported by the Connecticut Post, Bentley, 60, made it official on Monday. Bentley lives in West Haven.

It was a tough final year for the Presidents, going 10-12. I'm fortunate I got to see and cover his final game, a 56-54 overtime loss to Hillhouse in the opening round of the Class LL state tournament. This was not even close to one of Bentley's vintage teams, but the team came back from a 14-point deficit to force overtime and by all rights should have won that game.

Still one of my favorite games was the 1988 Class LL championship between St. Joes and Harding at CCSU -a true classic won by St. Joes. Ask anyone who saw the game and they will tell you the exact same thing. Boobie Wright and Malcolm Leak for Harding and Tommy Montelli and Marvin Saddler for St. Joes.

One of the game's true legends has moved on.

Ryan Leahey of Orange shot a 7-under 135 total for 36 holes at New Haven Country Club to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Monday.
Leahey, 26, shot a 65 in the second round to gain a spot in the tournament Aug. 22-28 at Erin Hills and Blue Mound Golf and Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisc.
It was an emotional win for Leahey,who missed his grandmother's funeral in order to play. "I talked with my aunt and my parents and we all agreed that my grandmother would have wanted me to play," Leahey said. "It was a little tough not being there (at the funeral)."
Spencer Cole of Greenville, S.C. shot 5-under 137 to grab the other spot. He was in the final group of the day and had to endure a two-hour lightning and torrential downpour delay to finish. He had been an alternate twice before.
Bernie D'Amato, the 2009 state amateur champion, played with Leahey and shot 4-under 138. He, too, waited out the storm and watched as Cole made him a first alternate.