Parkland golfers are building momentum as the high school postseason moves along.

The Trojans finished their regular season on a high note with a win over Emmaus on Sept. 9. They finished fifth out of eight teams at the East Penn Conference Championships last week then followed that with a stellar showing at Monday’s District 11 Championship qualifier.

Parkland had eight players advance through the qualifier, the most of any District 11 school.

“Last week was a little disappointing at EPCs,” said Parkland head coach Ryan Nunemaker. “I thought we’d play a little better there. The big one in the postseason is the qualifier and trying to get as many guys through. I told them it doesn’t matter if you finish first or 30th.

“The fact that we have eight guys playing out of 30 is quite an achievement. We knew all season long we had great depth. It was just a matter of could we perform when it mattered most. [Monday] it did and they were able to pull through.”

The Trojans match against Emmaus a few weeks ago ended the regular season. Parkland finished 13-2 overall and 13-2 in the EPC.

“Super happy with the way the season went,” said Nunemaker. “I thought we came together at the end when it mattered most.

“Emmaus was a big match for us this year. Winning that one at the end of the year was important to our seniors for sure.”

Despite the win, the Trojans finished below Emmaus in the district rankings. The Hornets will be one of four teams playing for a district title next week, along with Nazareth, Blue Mountain and Southern Lehigh.

The Trojans opened the postseason at the EPC Championships, held Monday, Sept. 22 at Great Bear Golf Course in Stroudsburg.

Senior Landen Benner and sophomore Jacob Rapp led the Trojans at the league championships. They tied at 8-over par 79 for sixth place at the event.

“I’m happy with how I played,” said Rapp of his first high school postseason tournament. “My putting was good. My swing felt great. Got up and down when I needed to. I had some bad holes but I recovered.”

An eagle on the 10th hole helped Rapp secure the top-10 finish.

Benner, a returning state qualifier who finished top five in leagues as a sophomore, is looking for a strong finish to his final season before joining the team at Arcadia University next fall.

He was looking for a little more at leagues, but wasn’t disappointed with a top-10 finish.

“I played all right,” he said. “I could have done better. I missed a lot of fairways but I made some putts. It was back and forth.”

Benner’s primary goal for the season is getting back to Penn State for the PIAA Championships after earning a place there last year, which got him an exemption from Monday’s qualifier.

He would love to receive a gold medal next Tuesday at the Steel Club, the site of the district championship. He’s certainly got the game to do that. But first and foremost he wants to secure his place in the state championship tournament.

“I really want to be top six and get to states,” said Benner. “I went to states last year, which was amazing. I loved it. Of course I want to win, but first I just want to get to states.”

Parkland had nine players qualified for last week’s league championships. Andrew Sundstrom shot 82 at leagues to tie for 13th place. Other Trojans that competed in league tournament were Gabe Chase (84), Matthew Torres (86), John Gerancher (90), Ryan Posocco (95), Carter Willis (96) and Charlie Gold (98).

Most of those scores were a big higher than the Trojans expected at that tournament.

They had one chance left to make up for it, and they did just that Monday at the district qualifier at Northampton Country Club. The top 30 player, plus ties, at the event earn a place in next week’s District 11 Championships.

Willis led the way for Parkland Monday, firing a 4-over par 76 at Northampton for third place at the qualifier. The sophomore got off to a hot start, with birdies on 3, 5 and 6 to go with bogeys on 1 and 4 to get to 1-under par after six holes and finish the front nine at even-par 36. A double-bogey and two triples on the back nine dropped Willis back to third place.

Gold finished one stroke behind Willis in a tie for fourth place. The junior made five bogeys and 13 pars for a steady 77 Monday.

Sundstrom shot 80 to tie for 10th place at the qualifier. A tale of two nines saw the senior make a pair of birdies to offset four bogeys during a front-nine 38. A triple-bogey and a double-bogey on the back nine hurt his score but didn’t keep him from advancing.

Gerancher, a senior, shot 41 on the front nine then held on with a 42 on the back to secure his place at districts. Chase, a senior, shot 86 for 27th place as all four seniors on the PHS golf roster will play in the district championship.

Rapp and Posocco, a junior, both shot 84 Monday to finish in a tie for 21st place.

Torres, a freshman, shot 88 Monday to finish in a tie for 41st in his first District 11 golf event.

DISTRICT 11 QUALIFIER

Class 3A Boys

1. Kyan DeLong (Emmaus) 74, T2. Andrew Erfle (Liberty) 76, Carter Willis (Parkland) 76, T4. Charlie Gold (Parkland) 77, Sean Brogan (Southern Lehigh) 77, Silas Wellhoener (Emmaus) 77, 7. Logan DeRewal (Southern Lehigh) 78, T8. Andrew Eberts (Northampton) 79, Drew Patascher (Pleasant Valley) 79, T10. Andrew Sundstrom (Parkland) 80, Chase Murphy (PM East) 80, Radek Remaley (Nazareth) 80, T13. Cooper Fry (Northampton) 81, Joseph Ellis (Nazareth) 81, Kevin Gerheart (PM East) 81, Zakary Novak (Nazareth) 81, T17. Chris Gerheart (PM East) 82, Dylan Knittle (Blue Mountain) 82, T19. Connor Sarnoski (Southern Lehigh) 83, John Gerancher (Parkland) 83, T21. Anderson Francis (Emmaus) 84, Caden McGinley (ES North) 84, Cameron Rodriguez (Liberty) 84, Christian Stormo (Southern Lehigh) 84, Jacob Rapp (Parkland) 84, Ryan Posocco (Parkland) 84, T27. Beau Thomas (Bangor) 85, Gabe Chase (Parkland) 85, Jake Wachinski (Liberty) 85, Trent Stahley (Liberty) 85, Trent Stahley (Liberty) 85, Wyatt Adams (Southern Lehigh) 85, T32. Chase Kimble (Southern Lehigh) 86, Christopher Stumpf (Northampton) 86, Evan Setlock (Blue Mountain) 86, Greyson Schmidt (Emmaus) 86, Josh Lesak (Blue Mountain) 86, Josh Lesak (Blue Mountain) 86, Mason Stiff (PM East) 86, T38. Colin Wrazien (Stroudsburg) 87, Hayden Bartie (Southern Lehigh) 87, Mikey D’Amico (Lehighton) 87, T41. Austin Balanca (Pleasant Valley) 88, Ben Nichols (Emmaus) 88, Jack Lloyd (Whitehall) 88, Matthew Torres (Parkland) 88, 45. Zach Fritz (Stroudsburg) 89, T46. Boden Rainford (Emmaus) 90, Chris Tretheway (Stroudsburg) 90, Jack Beruta (Nazareth) 90, Max Suffness (Easton) 90, Phillip Yetter (Stroudsburg) 90, 51. Mason Brown (Southern Lehigh) 92, 52. Ryan Maloney (Emmaus) 93, T53. Braeden Welsh (Blue Mountain) 94, Maxum DiRenzo (Pottsville) 94, 55. Connor Depaolis (Freedom) 95, T56. Brett Cohan (Whitehall) 96, Corbin Miller (Northampton) 96, 58. Colin Andrews (Freedom) 99, 59. Owen Mera (Bangor) 112.

Girls

1. Gianna Ruane (Freedom) 113, 2. Caliegh Scholtes (Wilson) 115, 3. Olivia Lounsberry (Central Catholic) 119, 4. Callie Kosciolek (Panther Valley) 120, 5. Ava Alabovitz (Panther Valley) 141.