Schuylkill Haven's Alan Evans, right, holds the District 11 Golf championship placard after winning the Class AA title Tuesday at the Steel Club. Other members of the top five include, from left: Sam Vinc, Tamaqua, fifth; Jared Grammes, Palmerton, fourth; Renzo Ochotorena, Saucon Valley, third; and Anthony Albano, Saucon Valley, second (submitted photo).

HELLERTOWN — It was do-or-die time for Alan Evans in his quest for District 11 gold.

With a large gallery watching, the Schuylkill Haven junior came through in the clutch.

Evans birdied his final hole to pull into a tie for first, then won a one-hole playoff over Saucon Valley’s Anthony Albano to capture the Class AA individual title at Tuesday’s District 11 Golf Championships at the Steel Club.

Evans is the second Schuylkill League golfer to win the Class AA individual title in the past three years, joining 2023 champ Drew Kokinda of Panther Valley. He also joins his older brother, Albe, as a district champion. Albe Evans garnered the 2019 District 11 AA championship, also winning in a playoff.

“It feels great,” Alan Evans said. “It was a long day. It wasn’t the way I wanted to start but I turned it around and just kept battling all day.”

Playing in the last group, Evans started on No. 15. He was 6-over through six holes before finding his stride, carding a par on No. 3, a birdie on No. 4 and then seven straight pars before bogeys on both No. 12 and No. 13.

Saucon Valley’s Renzo Ochotorena sat atop the leaderboard after 17 holes at 72 but shot a double-bogey 7 on the par-5 No. 14.

Albano was one stroke back at 73 and parred the hole to finish with a 6-over 78. Both Ochotorena and Albano had completed their rounds when Evans headed to the tee box at No. 14 sitting at 7-over.

“I was on the tee box … I had gone bogey-bogey on 12 and 13 and I was one back. I saw (Albano) finish the hole,” Evans said. “I hit not a bad drive, then my second shot went into the bunker. I hit a pretty good bunker shot … I had all the green to work with. I put it to about 15 feet.

“I was putting the ball good all day, I really just couldn’t make one. I knew I had a good read on it. I was like, ‘I’m going to make this.’

“I had confidence, I hit it on the line I wanted to with the right speed. And it went in.”

The putt resembled the final shot of a PGA championship tournament, Evans said, as both Ochotorena and Albano were part of a large gallery that was watching the final group make their final putts.

“It was a pretty cool moment,” Evans said.

Evans carded a birdie 4 on the hole to tie Albano at 6-over 78. Ochotorena finished in third with a 79.

The tie forced a playoff, which began on the par-5 No. 15.

Evans went first and hit a bomb of a drive right down the middle. His second shot was just short of the green, giving Evans an eagle putt. Albano’s second shot was short, with his third shot missing the green.

“I probably hit … I wouldn’t say my best drive of the day because I hit my driver good all day, but I let it eat and hit it great, right down the middle,” Evans said. “I had driver, pitching wedge into the green and he had driver, 3-wood.

“I knew I had a good chance to win when that happened.”

Albano chipped onto the green with his fourth shot. Evans hit his third shot to about 5 feet left. Albano missed his par putt, settling for a 6.

“He went first and he missed his putt,” Evans said. “So he made 6. I just had to two-putt from 5 feet. I hit it right next to (the cup), then tapped it in for 5.”

The victory qualifies Evans for the PIAA Golf Championships at Penn State for the second straight year. This year’s Class AA state meet will be held Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 20-21, on the Penn State White Course.

Last year, Evans finished tied for ninth at states, shooting a two-day, 72-hole 2-over 68-78—146 that had him tied for the lead after the first round.

“I’m excited,” Evans said. “This was definitely my goal going into the season, to make it (to states). Hopefully I can do the same thing as last year and not look at the leaderboard in the second round. I was doing really well then fell apart. … I’ll be ready for it.”

Evans will be joined at states by Tamaqua freshman Sam Vinc, who won a three-way playoff for fifth place, and North Schuylkill’s Jude Maziekas, who placed sixth.

The top six boys and top three girls in both Class AA and Class 3A qualified for states.

Vinc, Maziekas and Notre Dame-Green Pond’s Andrew Swercheck each shot an 11-over 83 to force a playoff. In the playoff on No. 15, Vinc carded a par, while Maziekas bogeyed and Swercheck shot a double-bogey 7.

“I hit my driver down the right side of the fairway with about 230 (yards) in,” the 14-year-old Vinc said of the playoff. “I wanted to play it safe, so I hit my 9-iron to about 50 yards then put it on the green to about 20 feet. Two-putted for par.

“It felt great. I’m excited (to be going to states).”

Maziekas, a senior, was right there with the leaders before closing with a pair of double-bogeys.

He’s excited to be capping his final high school golf season with a trip to states. Last year he was 61st at states with an 84-86—170.

“It feels great,” Maziekas said of making it to states. “It’s the best way to (end my career).

“I didn’t win a playoff my whole high school career, so that felt great.”

Mahanoy Area’s Connor Bowman finished three shots behind Vinc and Maziekas with an 86, tying for 10th. Nativity’s Stephen Karinch (87), Schuylkill Haven’s Eli Barton (92), Nativity’s Trey Keating (93) and Nativity’s Ryan Grabowski (94) also competed in the Class AA individual competition.

In Class 3A, Blue Mountain’s Dylan Knittle was the highest Schuylkill League finisher, tying for 23rd with a 14-over 86. He was followed by Blue Mountain teammates Cole Fry (89), Owen Crossen (90) and Evan Setlock (91).

Crossen posted the only eagle of the day in either classification, shooting a 3 on the par-5 No. 15.

Nazareth’s Holden Sparks won the Class 3A boys’ crown with a 3-under 69, helping the Blue Eagles win the Class 3A team championship with 313 strokes. Southern Lehigh was second at 318, followed by Emmaus (320) and Blue Mountain (349).

On the girls’ side, Blue Mountain’s Delaney Walborn and Minersville’s Emma Troutman both finished fourth, each missing a trip to states by one stroke.

Walborn shot an 89 in the Class 3A event, taking fourth behind Emmaus’ Alexis Tauchman (86) and the Southern Lehigh duo of Lexi Miller (86) and Avery Martin (88).

Troutman tied for fourth with Northwestern Lehigh’s Gracie Scheffler and ACC’s Lilly Brigido at 18-over 90. Moravian Academy’s Mara Dubacher won the girls’ Class AA gold with a 9-over 81, with teammate Katherine Anthony in second (85) and Northwestern Lehigh’s Avri Chandler (89) taking third.

Dubacher and Anthony were a big reason Moravian Academy captured a third straight Class AA team title as the Lions finished with a score of 344. Notre Dame-Green Pond (355) edged Schuylkill Haven (356) for second, while Nativity (370) took fourth.

District 11 Golf Team Championships

CLASS AA

Moravian Academy (344) — Mara Dubacher 81, Katherine Anthony 85, Collin Schreiber 87, Teddy Perrotta 91

Notre Dame-Green Pond (355) — Andrew Swercheck 83, Chris Vanicky 86, Liam Gilligan 93, Simon Weed 93

Schuylkill Haven (356) — Alan Evans 78, Daniel Fanelli 90, Eli Barton 92, Chase Maley 96

Nativity (370) — Stephen Karinch 87, Trey Keating 93, Ryan Grabowski 94, Andy Smith 96

CLASS 3A

Nazareth (313) — Holden Sparks 69, Dane Mohap 74, Alex DiGiacinto 85, Brady Rohn 85

Emmaus (320) — Evan Walters V 72, Kyan DeLong 76, Greyson Schmidt 84, Anderson Francis/Silas Wellhoener 88

Southern Lehigh (318) — Caleb Walsh 77, Logan DeRewal 77, Hayden Bartie 82, Wyatt Adams 82

Blue Mountain (349) — Josh Lesak 84, Dylan Knittle 86, Cole Fry 89, Owen Crossen 90

District 11 Golf Individual Championships