VANDALIA — At the beginning of the year, it looked like the schedule maker had given the Troy boys golf team a tough road to go this season in hopes of a MVL title.

Instead, as Sniff ‘n’ the Tears would say, the Trojans find themselves in the “Driver’s Seat” midway through the season.

The Trojans were forced to go on the road for their dual matches with Tippecanoe and Vandalia-Butler — considered two of the strongest teams in the MVL along with Troy.

After beating Tippecanoe last week at Pipestone on a fifth-man tiebreaker, it was another thriller Tuesday on the front nine at Cassel Hills before Troy came away with a 149-153 victory.

Troy and Piqua are now the only two unbeatens in the MVL — with the Indians still having matches with Tipp, Butler and Troy. Tipp now has one loss and Butler has two.

“Every other year, we have to face two of the big dogs on the road,” Troy coach Mark Evilsizor said. “We are not going to overlook anybody. But, we have faced three of the top teams (Tipp, Butler, Sidney). When you look at it, we have played what is probably the meat of our schedule.”

And it was Mitchell Sargent leading the way for the Trojans.

Sargent and Butler’s Quentin Stall have the two lowest scoring averages in the conference — and they did not disappoint.

Sargent used birdies on the par-5 sixth hole and par-3 seventh hole to card a two-under par 33, while Stall nearly matched him with a 34.

“I was playing pretty solid,” Sargent said. “Then, I was finally able to get the two birdies. That helped a lot.”

And he understood how big the win was.

“We really want to win the league this year,” he said. “We know how important it was to win those two matches.”

Van Davis had a 38 and in the second group, Casey Beckner had a 40 and Matthew Hempker had a 42.

“Van (Davis) would say he didn’t play great, but he still had a 38,” Evilsizor said. “Casey (Beckner) and Mattthew (Hempker) had some doubles, but they still shot solid scores.”

That left Troy trailing by one with two players on the course.

But, Troy had an ace in the hole in Isaac Burns and Jeffrey Smith.

Burns came in with a 38 and Smith had a 40 to lower Troy’s score by five strokes and give them the win.

“I am not going to take them out of that spot,” Evilsizor said about the final group. “Those guys are playing so well and they came through tonight. I am going to keep them there.”

The Trojans will look to finish off an unbeaten season in MVL play — which counts half, along with postseason tournament at Locust Hills in three weeks.”

“There is still a lot of work to do,” Evilsizor said. “You hope to be playing your best when it comes time for the MVL tournament. I will take my chances with my guys on a neutral site.”

After they put themselves in the “Driver’s Seat” Tuesday.

Troy 151,

Northmont 163

Xenia 194

TROY — Mitchell Sargent stayed hot Wednesday as the Trojans improved to 6-0 overall and 5-0 in the MVL on the back nine at Miami Shores.

Sargent carded a four-under par 32.

“Mitchell (Sargent) was hot again,” Troy coach Mark Evilsizor said. “That is 33 and 32 on back-to-back days. Mitchell is playing incredible. He had three birdies in four holes, including a tap-in on 16. That ties the lowest nine-hole score and strokes under par since I have been here.”

Isaac Burns had a 37, Casey Beckner carded a 40, Jeffrey Smith had a 42 and Van Davis and Matthew Hempker both had 45s.

Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]