Posted: Fri, 22 Apr 2011 08:45 AM - 12,706 Readers

By: Blake Hurtik

It didn't seem like the ending to the Region IV-4A golf tournament at Pecan Valley Golf Club could be any more dramatic.

After Austin Lake Travis ran away with the team championship, rivals Alamo Heights and Boerne Champion faced off in a sudden-death playoff with a state tournament berth on the line. Heights freshman Mitchell Meissner sank an 8-foot par putt to force a second playoff hole.

Then the rules officials got involved.

Following their tee shots, Mules senior Jake Rhodes told a teammate with a ball in play to “keep his head down,” which an official ruled as giving advice — a two-stroke penalty. The controversial call secured Champion's third straight state appearance and sent Alamo Heights home confused and upset.

“It was bad enough to have to have a playoff, but to get beat like this ...” Heights coach Danny Hayes said. “I'd rather get beat on the course.

“It was just a situation that's very, very unfortunate, and you learn from it.”

Rhodes, who had a par wiped out with the penalty, said he meant it as simple encouragement to his teammate. Earlier in the day, Rhodes made a double eagle on No. 9.

“It's not like I thought I was doing anything wrong,” he said. “I ended up playing the next hole after that to prove to myself, based on ability, we could have won. And I birdied it.”

Not even a controversial ending could take away from Scott Tredo's big day. The Champion junior scored his second straight 4-under-par 67 to run away with the individual championship and carry the Chargers to state.

“We were surprised how it happened, but we were confident we would have won,” said Tredo, who finished eight strokes ahead of Lake Travis' Klein Klotz.

Tredo had seven birdies on the day and thrived in tough situations. After his tee shot sailed wide left on No. 5, he lofted his next shot to within 10 feet of the pin and made birdie, despite not being able to see the flag. On the playoff hole, he recovered after his tee shot went into the trees to save par.

“Everything's coming together,” he said. “The harder the shot is, the better I play.”

Part of his motivation came from a friendly wager he made with teammate Dan Hulsebusch: If Tredo shot two 67s, Hulsebusch owed him a year of food from HuHot Mongolian Grill.

“I had my fingers crossed,” Hulsebusch said.

Champion's second-place finish ensured a second straight state appearance for Kerrville Tivy's Stevie Jones, who shot a 74 for a two-day total of 144. He lost a playoff for third place to Victoria West's Trevor Vega.

“I was glad I really didn't have to try in that playoff,” Jones said. “I'm ready for state. I feel like I have the game to win it.”

The Class 4A state meet is May 9-10 at Jimmy Clay Golf Course in Austin.

*  Story Contributed by: Blake Hurtik