It’s funny how just a single stroke can change the trajectory of a golfer, or a team of golfers. But that single stroke was the difference as both Skyline High and Eagles’ senior golfer Austin Shelley came home with state championships at the 5A state finals held at TalonsCove in Saratoga Springs.

Skyline and Olympus went back and forth over the two-day tourney, each team enjoying a lead before losing it to the other. In the end, the Eagles prevailed with a one-shot team win, 575, one-under par, to Oly’s even par 576. Shelley closed with a 66 in regular play.

But the drama wasn’t over, as Shelley and Olympus’ senior Will Pedersen finished tied for medalist honors at 11-under. That meant a playoff hole on number 18, which Shelley birdied by rolling in a 20-foot putt to take the individual title. He’s the third Shelley to be medalist at state. Older brothers Tyson and Jackson had previously won state titles. Shelley played at Olympus as a freshman, so Pedersen was a former teammate.

Coach Kenny James praised his entire team for their perseverance in the final round of seesaw battle with the Titans.

“We got some breaks today that we didn’t get on Monday, and the boys made it work,” he said. Both Skyline and Olympus were tied after Monday’s first round at 285. The win was also sweet for Skyline, which was beaten earlier this year in region by Olympus. The Eagles have now won the state title seven times in the past eight years.

Besides Shelley, members of the state champs are seniors Caden Shurtz and Shane Mulvey, junior Marcus Davis-Condie, and freshmen Bodie Green and Perry Shaffer. For Olympus, Shelley was joined by senior Lincoln Peterson, junior Josh Neff, and freshmen Jake Neff, Wyatt Biagi and Mark Ivory.