Local HS Grads Show Their Stuff

HANOVER – Talking about the Tommy Keane Invitational golf tournament in the run-up to the 35th renewal of the event, TKI veteran Jim Jankowski explained how when the fixture started at Hanover Country Club in 1975 it was seen at least in part as an opportunity for Dartmouth golfers to get some good competition in the summer.

Times have changed.

If the semifinals of the championship flight are any indication, the 2010 Tommy Keane is instead a showcase for some of the best graduated high school golfers in the Upper Valley.

In one half of Sunday’s championship semifinal will be former Hartford player Mitch Cable and Mike Hathorn, the Hurricanes coach. The Hartford pair will square off against former Lebanon standout Pat Pelletier and his partner, Joe King. Interestingly, the two teams played together in Friday’s stroke play qualifying with Hathorn and Cable shooting 70 while Pelletier and King were carding a 71.

In the other half of the bracket it will be New Hampshire Amateur champion Nick MacDonald – yet another former Lebanon standout – and his father Shane against Josh Hilderbrand and Josh Wilson.

The winners will advance to the championship match Sunday afternoon. Shane MacDonald will be trying to repeat last year’s TKI win although with a different partner after longtime teammate Andy Hydorn passed on this year’s event.

Sticking with the theme of Upper Valley high school stars, the Hathorn-Cable team made it to the semis with a 1-up win over the father-son team of Peter and Doug Williamson. Peter, a former Hanover High player and Doug were Friday’s medalists with a 62. They won their first match Saturday, 6&5.

Another former Upper Valley high school product bowing out in the quarters was Hartford graduate Jake Obar. He was teamed with Billy Vielleux, who might have been a pretty fair golfer for the Hurricanes himself if he hadn’t been wowing pro baseball scouts as a shortstop on the diamond. Obar and Vielleux fell to Hilderbrand and Wilson 3&2.

Brackets for Sunday

Here are Sunday's brackets. As always, click to make 'em readable. A story is upcoming.

6 P.M. Bracket Update

Most of the afternoon matches have concluded with half of the championship bracket set. (Click the brackets to enlarge.)

This will be the final update from HCC because the wi-fi is getting dicey again. At the conclusion of the day's action I'll zip home and post the final brackets heading into Sunday's action. There will also be a short capsule story.

5 P.M. Update – Third Flight Set

The first Saturday afternoon matches are in but none from the championship flight. Sunday's final match in the third flight is all set. More at 6 p.m. And as always, click the brackets to supersize them.

4 P.M. Update

Nothing new to report except the first match of the consolation bracket of the third flight has finished. Hopefully I'll have more for you at 5 p.m.

Sorry about that 3 p.m. update. It ended up somehow on my Dartmouth football blog.