BETHLEHEM – Tyler Hager tried to soak it all in.

That the Palmerton freshman didn’t get what he wanted was OK.

Hager’s hopes of a Colonial League title ended on the second playoff hole Monday at Bethlehem Golf Club.

More invested in the opportunity than the outcome, Hager offered an optimistic outlook.

“It’s great for a freshman to have that chance,” said Hager. “I thought it was really cool. I wish I could have won and played better in the playoff, but that’s the way it is.”

Hager and Notre Dame Green Pond’s Ben Ortwein were even at 78 at the end of regulation. They remained deadlocked after the first playoff hole on the par-4 18th, with Hager nailing a clutch putt to extend the extra round.

Ortwein took control on the par-4 17th with a solid drive and steady approach to seal the win.

“I just thought that if I parred any of the holes I would have won,” said Hager. “That was my goal, and then when I hit that drive on our second playoff hole, I thought that if I could just get up-and-down for bogey, and probably go to a third playoff hole, I could win it there.

“But with that second shot, it just caught the wind, and kind of took it right.”

Hager’s performance highlighted a runner-up finish for the Bombers in the team standings. Moravian Academy (413) claimed the league crown, just ahead of Palmerton (427).

While remarkably poised throughout, Hager acknowledged he felt some butterflies.

“I had quite a few nerves,” said Hager. “This was the only day of the year I had a few; I don’t know why. I thought I had a good chance to win it the whole day. I had played pretty well except coming down the stretch; I didn’t quite follow through with the way I was playing. I kind of just let it go.”

Hager’s status as a contender was cemented well before the league tournament, something that was on display throughout Palmerton’s undefeated regular season.

“As a freshman, he probably had higher goals for himself than maybe we did,” said Bombers coach Mike Brennan. “We knew he could compete for the league title, the district title because golf is golf; you’re going to shoot what you’re going to shoot. His average (during the season) was 81; he hasn’t shot a round higher than 85 I don’t think all year, so you know he’s always going to be there.

“He’s disappointed, but I thought he handled himself well. For a freshman to be in that spot … he did pretty well.”

It’s an experience Hager and the Bombers, who were fourth in the team standings a year ago at the league tournament, hope to build on going forward.

“I told him afterward, if you’re going to trade which one you want, you want to win in two weeks,” Brennan said of the district tournament. “You’ll give up the league title for the district title if you can get it.

“And it’s kind of the same thing for the team. Credit to Moravian, they played very well today. We beat them twice during the regular season, ended their long winning streak. They had the better day today, but it was still close.”

The Tigers’ Gabrielle Smalley and Luke Hallman also secured their place at the district tournament in two weeks. Smalley was second in the girls field with a 90, while Hallman carded a 79 for fifth.

“I am happy with how I played,” said Smalley, who shot a 119 and was sixth last year. “I definitely came into it wanting to take every shot as it came, and take my time to do what I needed to do and make everything go as it should have.”

Hallman used a similar approach.

“I came in just taking it one shot at a time and tried to go from there,” he said. “I played with (Ortwein), and we were basically even the whole day, so it was good competition, and it was fun.”

BACK-TO-BACK … Moravian’s Grace Sanborn repeated as the girls champion.

BREAKING THROUGH? … Palmerton was on the doorstep of knocking off Moravian a year ago at districts. The Bombers finished second in the Class 2A team standings as the Lions won their fifth straight title.

MOVING ON … The top five boys and first two girls from the league event earned exemptions into the District 11 tournament. A District 11 qualifying tournament will be held for Class 2A and 3A golfers at Olde Homestead Golf Club. Golfers eligible for the qualifying tournament are those with average scores that range from 78 to 85 depending on course slope. The average must include all rounds played in competition during the regular season. The district tournament is set for Monday, Oct. 7 at Steel Club in Hellertown.

2019 Colonial League

Golf Championships

Bethlehem Golf Club: Par 71

(Boys 6,283 Yds / Girls 5,335 Yds)

Boys Top 12

1. Ben Ortwein (NDGP) 78*, 2 Tyler Hager (Palmerton) 78*, 3. Tom Smith (Moravian) 79*, 4. Ethan Saxe (Bangor) 79*, 5. Luke Hallman (Northwestern) 79*, 6. Erik Smith (Saucon Valley) 80, 7. Armaan Pandher (Moravian) 80, 8. Michael Andrews (Southern Lehigh) 81, 9. Chris Andrews (Southern Lehigh) 82, 10. Alex Suter (Salisbury) 82, 11. Andrew Burke (Moravian) 84, 12. Freddy Bacon (Bangor) 85.

Other locals

T24. Joe Frey (Northwestern) 88, T38. Jake Dellicker (Northwestern) 98, T41. Aiden Remaley (Northwestern) 103.

Top 4 Teams

1. Moravian Academy 413, 2. Palmerton 427, 3. Southern Lehigh 430, 4. Bangor 460.

MORAVIAN

3. Tom Smith 79, 7. Armaan Pandher 80, 11. Andrew Burke 84, 13. Evan Eichenlaub 85, 15. Sebby Holbrook 85.

PALMERTON

2. Tyler Hager 78, T16. Logan Kresge 86, T16. Derek Rea 86, T19. Connor Reinhard 87, 27. Josh Suto 90.

SOUTHERN LEHIGH

8. Michael Andrews 81, 9. Chris Andrews 82, T19. Deacon Dickenson 87, 26. Liam O’Brien 89, T28. Roman Lisicky 91.

BANGOR

4. Ethan Saxe 79, 12. Freddy Bacon 85, T19. Jayden Buist 87, 5. (Girls) Natalie White 104, 44. Dylan Hurd 105.

Girls Top 5

1. Grace Sanborn (Moravian) 86*, 2. Gabby Smalley (Northwestern) 90*, 3. Keeler Nichols (Moravian) 93, 4. Emma Shelby (Saucon Valley) 94, 5. Natalie White (Bangor) 104.

* - automatic qualifiers for D-11 tourney