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The last to pose for a group photo just off the 18th green at Holiday Valley Resort were Tommy Tantillo; his wife, Diana; their toddler son, Stefano; and Tantillo’s parents, Frank and Sara. As they smiled at a bunch of cellphone cameras, Stefano — as if on cue — innocently raised his right hand and pointed his index finger toward the sky.

Coincidence? Maybe, but there was no doubt that his dad and playing partner, Nick Bell, were, in fact, indeed No. 1 in the 88-team field.

Courtesy of a magnificent putt that put him in tap-in range, Tantillo made par (net birdie) on the first playoff hole to send he and Bell to the championship for the first time.

Pete Morgante and Jon Gren Jr., who were the overall runnersup, were tied with Tantillo and Bell at 19-under after regulation, but were unable to extend the match in the playoff, which allowed the latter tandem to win their first I-A championship in their seventh try.

“The I-A is our major, it’s our ‘Masters,’” Bell said. ” … We’re thankful we had the opportunity to play in it.”

The victory was one of redemption of sorts for Tantillo, who missed a short putt on the final hole a few years ago that would have sent him and Bell into a playoff. It was also a victory that affirmed Tantillo’s resilience and focus because the last few months have been trying ones for he and his family after Stefano was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

“Having him here as I was coming off the green is a moment I’ll never forget,” Tantillo said, “and I’ll be able to tell him about it someday.”

He’ll have plenty of stories to repeat, most notably the 30-foot putt that Bell made from off the green on No. 14 for a net birdie that helped the longtime friends post a 7-under 63, as well as “dear old dad’s” effort with the “flat stick” on the playoff hole that clinched the victory.

“Best putt of the weekend,” Bell said.

Added Tantillo: “We’ve had some good rounds at the I-A, but I don’t think we were sniffing the finish line like we did. We know what it’s like now and we feel more comfortable being out there. … We didn’t really talk about a number. We just took it shot by shot. … We stayed in the game. We didn’t think about a big goal.”

Ironically, the biggest goal — an Italian-American Charity Golf Association championship — was now theirs. And if anyone needed confirmation of that Saturday evening, all he or she had to do was look in the direction of the little boy who Tantillo was holding in his arms during the post-round celebration.

Stefano’s smile told the story.

“To be able to win it is something that we always dreamed of,” Tantillo said, “and here it is.”

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NOTES: Following are the flight winners: George Panebianco-John O’Mara (62-62-69-193), First Flight; Jim Panebianco and Sean Larson (68-64-63-195), Second Flight; Pete Pillittieri-Andy Sandstrom (70-65-62-197), Third Flight; Anthony Peppy-Reid VanEvery (70-64-65-199), Fourth Flight; Paul Mole Jr.-David Lobb (74-64-60-198), Fifth Flight; Busty Tricari-Steve Johnson (76-63-68-207), Sixth Flight; and Chris Cusimano-Josh Nelson (81-64-67-212), Seventh Flight.

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CHAMPIONS

• Tommy Tantillo-Nick Bell 62-66-63-191

RUNNERS-UP

• Pete Morgante-Jon Gren Jr. 62-66-63-191

FIRST FLIGHT

• George Panebianco-John O’Mara 62-62-69-193
• Rob Foti-Craig Lundgren 66-68-61-195
• Colin Lodestro-Jon Geisler 65-63-70-198
• Michael Schifano-Alex Johnson 64-70-64-198
• Ray Paladino-Robert Saltzman 65-63-71-199
• Anthony Gullo-Jake Dwaileebe 64-69-68-201
• Zack Panebianco-Matt Hoaglund 65-68-68-201
• Tom Brigiotta-John Anderson 67-70-64-201
• Jordan Bardo-Jordan Woleen 66-66-76-212

SECOND FLIGHT

• Jim Panebianco-Sean Larson 68-64-63-195
• Joe Vitello-Colin Whitermore 67-65-66-198
• Tim D’Angelo-Jason Stronz 68-66-67-201
• John Trussalo-Tim Magnuson 68-68-67-201
• Paul Pappalardo-Patrick Langworthy 68-70-64-202
• David Munella-David Currie 67-67-71-205
• Sam Restivo-Shane O’Mara 68-75-62-205
• Mike Martinelli-Patrick MacIntyre 68-69-69-206
• John L. LaMancuso-Mike Roberts 69-70-68-207
• Henry Mole-Tom Ames 68-72-67-207
• Lucian DiNapoli-Ryan Yager 68-72-70-210
• Nick Amatuzzo-Jake Berg 69-73-76-218

THIRD FLIGHT

• Pete Pillittieri-Andy Sandstrom 70-65-62-197
• Brett Cappa-Derek Dawson 70-62-67-199
• Matt Traniello-Aaron Thomas-Leone 70-66-66-202
• Alex Bianco-Troy Carlson 69-64-70-203
• Fred Pellerito-Dan Cheney 69-68-68-205
• John Sirianno-Ryan Calkins 69-72-65-206
• Chris Papplaardo-Dan Brunenavs 69-68-70-207
• Bucky Lombardo-Rich Shelley 69-67-72-208
• Blake Tarana-Quint Lawson 70-70-71-210
• Anthony Cusimano-Chad Peterson 70-70-71-211
• Bill Malenga-Salim Sarvaiya 70-70-74-214
• Joe Calimeri-Chris Hammond 70-72-86-228

FOURTH FLIGHT

• Anthony Peppy-Reid Van Every 70-64-65-199
• Sebastian Baggiano-Gary Yager 70-68-69-207
• Jordan Coccagnia-Kyle Rensel 72-71-65-208
• Dominic Salvaggio Jr.-Zach Vogle 72-73-64-209
• Tony Triscari-Randy Nelson 71-76-65-212
• Mike Condella-Tim Mead 72-70-71-213
• Adam Gullo-Dylan Lundmark 72-70-72-214
• Jasyn Consiglio-Josh Dankovish 70-78-67-215
• Nick Trussalo-Kyle Morse 73-68-76-217
• Jordan Ricotta-Ben Lindquist 70-77-72-219
• Josh Ricotta-Kyle Luce 72-75-78-225
• Carl Pillittieri-Dave Bogdan 72-79-78-229

FIFTH FLIGHT

• Paul Mole Jr.-David Lobb 74-64-60-198
• Paul Mole-Steve Anderson 73-65-70-208
• Nick Conti-Tommy Fales 73-70-66-209
• Casey Digirolamo-PJ Degnan 73-66-71-210
• Jim LaMancuso-Chad Waddington 73-68-69-210
• Gregg Pietrocarlo-Hans Auer 73-74-63-210
• Greg Mareri-Jerome Davis 73-70-72-215
• Dennis Palermo-Bernie Auer 74-71-72-217
• Sam Triscari-Dave Rowe 74-74-70-218
• Drew Rinaldo-Levi Madden 74-74-76-224
• Jayme Genco-Tim Anderson 73-73-79-225
• Mike Panebianco-Tanner Merchant 73-80-75-228

SIXTH FLIGHT

• Busty Triscari-Steve Johnson 76-63-68-207
• Dave Foti-Nick Madden 77-67-70-214
• Todd D’Angelo-Joe Willig 75-72-70-217
• Tyler Coccagnia-Kyle Forsberg 75-71-73-219
• Chris Prinzi-Brian Dwaileebe 77-67-76-220
• Angelo Volpe-Jim Brown 77-78-66-221
• Sam LaMancuso Jr.-Kyle Hellman 75-67-80-222
• Joe Sinatra-Dave Leathers 75-71-76-222
• Sam Peppy Jr.-Charlie Moss 76-72-74-222
• Todd Frangione-Mark Tarbrake 75-75-77-227
• Anthony Tuccio-Dan Hocking 74-76-77-227
• Brooks Landy-Ryan Thompson 77-71-80-228
• Ryan Calalesina-Corey Schmitt 76-81-73-230
• Lucas Munella-John Samuelson 76-80-79-235

SEVENTH FLIGHT

• Chris Cusimano-Josh Nelson 81-64-67-212
• Steve Cusimano-Jim Pullan 79-66-70-215
• Sandy Volpe Jr.-Jamie Barton 77-66-81-224
• John Foti-Charlie Gregg 79-73-73-225
• Joe Frangione-Tyler Nelson 78-75-73-226
• Nolan Scoma-Alelx Schupp 77-73-77-227
• Matt Spunaugle-Jake Swieg 84-71-77-232
• Nick Yachetta-Brandon Johnston 82-71-80-233
• Bob Marchiando-Barry Minsker 81-79-73-233
• Joe Paterniti-Paul Weinstein 81-77-79-237
• Mike Yezzi-Matt Robbins 79-85-74-238
• Jeremy Casel-Dave Kianos 79-82-82-243
• Mike Prinzi-Andrew Small 84-85-74-243
• Joe Cordosi-Jake Kane 81-79-85-245

Article and Photos by Scott Kindberg.