MCKINNEY – There was the senior with four district top-10 finishes. There was the unknown who had only found out about it late that morning at school. It was the young pup, however – the one who expected the least – that came out on top when the smoke cleared. 

Sophomore Matt Williams held off challenges from Leonard teammate Trent Borchardt and Farmersville junior Cameron Cannon, winning on the fifth playoff hole to earn the final Class 2A Region II medalist slot Wednesday at Oak Hollow Golf Club. Williams will join Farmersville's Curtis Stanley and the boys teams from Krum and Blue Ridge as they journey to Stephenville April 23-24 to represent District 13-2A. 

"It feels awesome. I'm pumped," said Williams. "I never expected to be in this situation." 

After tornado sirens forced a quick exit from Oak Hollow on Monday's soggy District 13-2A tournament, the initial results showed Stanley, who fired a solid 76, as the first medalist from a non-advancing team and the second berth knotted up between Borchardt and Williams with scores of 84.

Since they were Tiger teammates, it was left up to LHS coach Greg Connelly how to set up a playoff. But in a magnanimous gesture rarely seen these days, the 15-year-old Williams told Borchardt to take the trip to regionals since Borchardt was a senior and wouldn't be back to try again next year. 

Matt Williams and Trent Borchardt

"I would have been fine with a playoff," said Borchardt, "but for Matt to offer to just let me go was nice. I didn't expect it, and it was very generous." 

Borchardt accepted graciously, and he was beginning preparations for getting his dad a hotel room in Stephenville when Connelly called him into his classroom Wednesday morning. The district chairman had discovered that Cannon had fired an 84 on Monday as well, a score that had gone unnoticed in everyone's hasty exit due to the severe weather.

After a call to Farmersville to let them know about the oversight, an immediate playoff was scheduled for 5 p.m. that day for all three golfers. Despite his generosity, Williams would still have a chance to go to regionals. 

"When I heard we were going to have to play (the playoff), I thought I had no chance, especially against Trent," said Williams. 

All three teed it up on No. 1 Wednesday afternoon at Oak Hollow, and Borchardt immediately found the bunker with his tee shot. The other two were fine, but Williams fluffed his second shot. The bunker shot was great, and both Borchardt and Cannon had tap-in pars. Williams had 15 feet to stay alive, and he nailed it dead center as all three headed to the par-3 second hole. 

Borchardt's tee shot drifted right. Cannon was on the green, and Williams was on the back slope. Borchardt ran his chip by the hole about 20 feet, while Williams and Cannon left tap-ins for par again. The long putt by Borchardt died inches right of the cup, as did his regional chances. 

"I really thought this was going to be my hole," said Borchardt of No. 2. "I'd played it well every round. Just yanked it right today." 

Both Williams and Cannon would have chances to end it in their favor. Cannon jerked a three-footer for par at No. 3 a couple of inches left when Williams had already made bogey, then Williams returned the favor on No. 4, when his two-footer drifted right as he made a less than half-hearted attempt to win the match. 

"I thought I was done," said Williams of Cannon's hole three miscue. "Then I did the same thing (on four). It was pitiful." 

Cannon blinked first on No. 5, hitting a tree branch overhanging the fairway which swatted his ball straight down. Williams crushed his drive straight down the middle. 

The Farmersville junior's second shot from beneath the tree went across the fairway without gaining much distance. Williams then got admittedly lucky, as he skulled an iron over the green that thudded to a stop against the surrounding hill and trickled back down. 

Cannon reached the fringe with his third shot, but Williams left his chip from the back slope just a foot away from a par and victory. When Cannon's ball stopped short of the hole on his par attempt, Williams rammed home the winner, punching his ticket for Stephenville.

"When I was lying two, and he was still back where my drive landed after his second, I felt like this was it," said Williams. "But I got lucky. I thought I had air-mailed that second shot." 

Connelly said the maturity of Williams continues to come to the forefront. 

"I think 'yes-sir' kids are rare these days," said Connelly, "and Williams is one of the best. He won it on (hole number) one, I think, when he made that putt and realized he belonged in this playoff and got a little confidence. "I think you'll see a good score out of him down at Legends (GC in Stephenville)."