In IVC race, Gibson and Mast were linked together on the links

On the links Garaway senior Trace Gibson and Hiland junior Jack Mast are rivals in every sense of the word, since both school’s golf programs have perennially been among the finest small school programs in the state of Ohio, having built impeccable reputations and a laundry list of state appearances.

However, this year what accompanies that desire to best one another, both individually sand from the team concept, was a day-by-day battle to claim the coveted Inter-Valley Conference medalist honor that goes to the individual with the best average over the course of the IVC season.

The race to the top this season was one for the record books, and when the final stroke had been recorded, it would be Gibson claiming the top spot by one solitary stroke over Mast.

“That was great, we’ve always had that competition between the two of us and going back and forth all season was really exciting,” Gibson said.

For Mast, losing by a single shot admittedly stung.

‘That one hurt, not gonna lie,” Mast said. “But it was a great time, it was great competition and we always have a good time going head-to-head every time we meet.”

When the two teed it up at the East District meet, Mast said prior to teeing it up that he looked his friend in the eye and told him he’d like nothing more than to take him down one final time.

“I told him my goal was to beat him, and I’m sure he felt the same,” Mast said.

Gibson said Mast and the competition for that top spot was on his mind a lot during the season, and he said he has the ultimate respect for the Hiland junior.

“His talent level and his competition make me work hard and makes me understand what I have to do to get better and keep improving,” Gibson said. “He’s a great guy, a great competitor and I have the greatest respect for him as a player and a person. I love competing against him and he’s a joy to be around.”

Gibson said when it came down to playing each night in the IVC, he would put aside the thoughts of competing for the top spot and focus on the task at hand. He said his sole effort went into thinking about each shot and not worrying about the challenge Mast was presenting. He did, however, admit that he would sneak peaks at the scores once he was done and try to find out his challenger’s effort.

Mast said the friendly competition was just that, since the two have grown up together and played so many matches and tournaments with one another. The offseason was filled with the two knocking heads on the links, and Mast said it was good old-fashioned fun in the best way possible every time out.

“I’ve got so much respect for Trace,” Mast said. “Competing against him has made me so much better, knowing that he is going to shoot a great number every time made me realize I had to go out every night and do well.”

As is always the case when the competition is that close, both young men can flip back through their season and think about many single shots that would have made the difference one way or the other.

That is the nature of the game, and for two young men who are talented at their craft, the friendly competition added a lot of drama and thrills to a season that saw the two teams battling each other in tight competition as well as the individual challenge.

“I think in the end it made us both better players,” Gibson said. “It made us both work that much harder.”

One shot aside, both players crafted spectacular seasons and they gave IVC golf fans something to keep a close eye on from start to finish.