(Another) Farris nabs Player of the Month honors

Goodman 2nd, Warder 3rd

* January PoM: Tim Farris
* Previous PoM selections
* 2022 Player of the Year

FROSTBURG — The last round of league disc golf in February for Shania Farris looked eerily similar to the first round: One stroke behind husband Tim.

Shania Farris, however, completed a body of work throughout that goes up against the best of any female athlete over a single month in Allegany County Disc Golf Club history. It’s for that body of work on the disc golf course that Farris is the runaway winner of the club’s Player of the Month award for February. Frostburg residents Jay Goodman, 20, and David Warder, 32, were second and third, respectively, in consideration for the monthly recognition.

With the award, the Farris couple becomes the first husband-wife duo to win Player of the Month honors. They are the third pair with the same last names, however, to earn the recognition — the father-son set of Scott and Colby Mallery have both won the award, as well as the brotherly love pair of Noah Spradlin and Luke Spradlin-Vogelsang. Farris becomes the club’s first adult female player to win the award and the second female, along with 9-year-old Lily Lick (September 2022) to be recognized.

Shania Farris navigates her approach shot through a couple of trees at Mile Lane Disc Golf in Mount Savage.

Farris played in nine of the club’s 10 events in February — missing only the Presidents’ Day round — and made the most of each opportunity. She has been playing from the same tees as the guys and has shown not only can she hang with the guys, she can beat them.

After her one-stroke loss to Tim during a Fisher Cup round on Feb. 4 at Woodsboro Regional Park in Frederick County, Farris and teammate David Warder placed third at The Glades at Meshach Run in Week 6 of Winter Doubles League — only four strokes off the win, and merely two behind husband teammate and his doubles partner for the day, Scott Mallery. That effort left Farris atop the Women’s Division in the WDL points standings and in a three-way tie for third overall.

On Feb. 10, Farris played (a) her first round at Living Waters Church in Lonaconing and (b) her first glow round at the same location. The result? Quite frankly, not great. She was sixth in a seven-person field — still one stroke behind Tim — and a full 15 strokes off the winning mark. That wouldn’t be worth mentioning except to note how she learned from that round and bounced back in a big way.

The very next week, Farris took advantage of the field being separated into divisions — Advanced and Rec — and she and teammate Keith Raynor completed a second-half comeback for the win at Mile Lane Disc Golf in WDL Week 7. They were down by one stroke after the front 12, but tied the second best mark over the back 12 from the long tees of any team in any division.

Notably, the duo were ahead of Tim Farris and Ethan Shreve by two places and five strokes. That seemed to be a sign of things to come, because the very next club glow round on Feb. 17 at Mile Lane, Farris did it again. Down (again) by one stroke at the midway point, she had the second-best second half which was good enough to put her into first place after 18 holes. Notably, Tim was second, one stroke back. It wasn’t the first time Shania beat Tim, but it was the first time “with witnesses,” club members were told.

Farris must have decided it felt pretty good to finish ahead of Tim (the club’s Player of the Month in January). Only a couple days later, she did it again. She and doubles partner Ethan Shreve finished third overall in the combined divisions in Week 8 of WDL, but she and Shreve finished one stroke ahead of Tim and Luke Spradlin-Vogelsang. Teams for the round were decided by random generator.

Jay Goodman points out where his EMAC Truth landed in the creek.

Back at Mile Lane DGC a few days later for another glow round, Farris put Tim in her rearview mirror and set her sights on first place. She almost had it. This time, Farris led Bill Shreve by one after the front nine. Shreve took five strokes off his personal best on the 18-hole layout from the short tees to beat Farris by a single stroke. Farris finished one stroke back, in second, with a with a six under par 48 — seven strokes better than her effort on Feb. 17.

Farris missed out on a share of the Week 9 WDL win by yet close margin. She and Shreve finished second, by a single stroke, to Tim Farris and Ethan von Hagel.

Farris, in the top five of club supporters on social media, finished third overall in the Winter Doubles League standings and led the Women’s Division. She and Tim will pair up on March 4 to go against the field in the inaugural Allegany County Doubles Championship. That ought to be interesting, as the pair offer a healthy mix of trash talk and support to each other during each round.

Farris will receive a prize worth up to $15 for being recognized as the club’s Player of the Month for February.

Goodman 2nd, Warder 3rd

Jay Goodman had a solid month in February and earned a well-deserved runner-up finish in Player of the Month deliberations. He played in five of the club’s 10 events and earned a share of a Week 8 WDL victory with Bill Shreve.

Goodman also pushed for an outright win during a wind-driven Presidents’ Day round in Lonaconing. Tied with Kevin Spradlin heading into No. 18, both players missed the island. Unfortunately, Goodman’s throw from the drop zone was caught by the wind and landed out of bounds. Spradlin pitched a perfect layup to safely secure the win.

David Warder (pictured on No. 3) and teammate Colby Mallery overcome a four-stroke deficit to win in a playoff.

Goodman also finished in fourth place three other times in February. In addition, Goodman’s positive attitude on the course is a factor that can’t — and shouldn’t — be ignored. He arrives each round with a positive spirit, is eager to learn and help coach the younger, newer players, and is enthusiastic about new gear.

Warder, meanwhile, went scorched earth during a glow round on Feb. 10 in Lonaconing, beating the field of seven players by between six and 22 strokes. He was ahead by only a single stroke after the front nine from the short tees, but opened up on the back nine. He threw two under par on the back nine; no one was closer than five strokes.

Warder also played to a share of third place in weeks 6 and 7 of Winter Doubles League. Further, Warder has facilitated the indoor putting league at Living Waters Family Life Center each Thursday evening since mid-January. While he wins his fair share of matches, the important part is offering an affordable (read: free) and welcoming opportunity for players of all ages and abilities to hone their skills (and laugh a lot).

Shania Farris, the Allegany County Disc Golf Club’s Player of the Month for February, throws from the No. 7 tee at Mile Lane Disc Golf in Mount Savage.

 

 

 

 

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