DANIELS, W. Va. - Trailing by as many as five strokes down the stretch, Midway's men's golf team made a furious rally to recapture the River States Conference championship Tuesday.

The Eagles, who were seven shots off the lead entering the day, surged for a 43-over par score of 907, two shots better than runner-up West Virginia Tech.

After winning the RSC three years straight from 2021 to 2023, Midway is back on top after a fifth-place finish a season ago.

"It was a fantastic win," coach Otis Smith said. "You could see there were some nerves down the stretch but we were able to persevere and get the win. We are just happy we were able to pull it out today."

The Eagles were able to grab an early lead Tuesday behind a fast start, highlighted by a Hayes Mason eagle on the par-five second hole. But the Golden Bears were able to reestablish control and pull back ahead by five late on the back nine.

But Smith says the momentum turned on the 16th hole when Jack Bedell hit "one of the greatest shots in Midway history." After a bad tee shot buried him in the right tree line, Bedell was able to save par by drilling a shot that curved 60 yards and landed 15 feet from the pin.

Bedell says the shot was indicative of how the entire tournament went for the Eagles, who struggled through a persistent wind and showed an ability to work through some rough early shots.

"We definitely didn't play our best golf (but) we played our best scrap golf," Bedell said. "We didn't just fairway, green, two-putt our way through the tournament. It was all over the place."

The ability to close was on full display during the final holes, where the Eagles held steady while the Golden Bears stumbled.

Midway was five shots better than WVU Tech over the last five holes, while each of Tech's top three scorers recorded double bogeys on the par-five 18.

That consistent play earned Midway several all-conference honors. Bedell made the First Team with a three-day, nine-over par score of 225, which put him in a tie for fourth in the field.

Mason, who tied for sixth with a 226 (+10), and Gage Gregory, who tied for tenth at 228 (+12), both made All-RSC Second Team. Gregory's even-par 72 was the second-best score of any player Tuesday while Mason's plus-one 73 was tied for third.

Third-Team honors went to Benjamin Spencer, who tied for 16h at 231 (+15)

Also competing was Tristan Mitchell, who finished 25th with a 237. 

The players did this for River States Coach of the Year Smith, who as he did at last week's RSC Women's Championships, split the honor with assistant coach Sydnee Beard.

Making things even better was that the group who won Tuesday was virtually identical to the one that had a disappointing fifth-place showing at the same tournament a year ago.

'It's the same five guys (but) it's a completely different team," Bedell said. "It feels like a movie to me and I'm living in it. It's really cool to see redemption from Midway."

The Eagles will now return toe the NAIA Men's Golf Championship, which will be held in Silvis, Ill. on May 20-23.