After winning the last two Catholic State Championship in playoffs, Jon Renza realized what it’s like to be on the other side.

The Fordham Prep junior was beaten in the first sudden-victory playoff hole by St. Joseph’s freshman James Blackwell after both shot an even-par 73 at James Baird State Park today. Renza bogeyed the hole (thanks in part to some suspicious yardage marking). The 15-year-old Blackwell hit a brilliant 120-yard approach from under a tree and had a 20-foot birdie putt lip out.

It was still good enough for the title for Blackwell, who’s a name everyone should learn. He grew up in Buffalo, hits the ball a mile and is still a pretty raw talent. The kid’s got guts, though. He sank a 40-footer for birdie on 18 to fall into a tie with Renza, and was poised enough to hit that incredible shot in the playoff.

Renza, meanwhile, was in the fairway, 120 yards from the green in the playoff. But just like he did during his round on the par-4 first hole, he skied the green and landed on a hill behind it. He had a chance to get up and down for par but didn’t make the 10-footer.

Unfortunately, Renza will be the lone local CHSAA golfer at the Federation tournament (June 7 in Elmira). It will be his third trip. He finished second as a freshman and third last year.

Here’s how the other locals did today:

Paul Toohey (Fordham Prep) 38-40-78; Joe Collins (Stepinac) 38-40-78; Joe Patalano (Iona Prep) 40-38-78; Teddy Morrissey (Fordham Prep) 38-41-79; Shane Malloy (Iona Prep) 37-43-80; Rich Korzelius (Iona Prep) 38-42-80; John Hough (Fordham Prep) 41-40-81; Ryan Hudson (Iona Prep) 41-40-81; Brian Cioffi (Fordham Prep) 42-42-84; John Martinelli (Iona Prep) 45-40-85; Mike Collins (Stepinac) 45-45-90; James Chimelli (Stepinac) 44-47-91; Rocco Miani (Stepinac) 48-45-93.

I spoke to Renza for a while afterwards and, like always, he was pretty upbeat. Why wouldn’t he be? Deep down he knows playoffs can be flukey, even if he’s won the last two. He was also just 24 hours removed from leading Fordham Prep to a CHSAA championship.

The Rams beat Iona Prep in a thriller, 3-2, at Pelham Bay Golf Course. While Renza and Paul Toohey won their respective matches for Fordham — and Ryan Hudson and John Martinelli won theirs for Iona — the match came down to John Hough vs. Joe Patalano. Hough, a Fordham Prep senior, won it on the 17th as the Rams claimed back-to-back titles.

You never know who’s going to reach Federations, but I think Renza has as good of a chance to win as anyone. He’s excelled on the course in the past and, perhaps losing today will motivate him even more.

I’m heading up to Cornell tomorrow for the NYSPHSAA Championship. I’ll check in tomorrow with news and notes from the practice rounds before the 36-hole tournament starts on Sunday.