Lima Central Catholic’s Bridget Mulcahy earned first team honors at the girls Division II state golf tournament Saturday at the Ohio State University Gray Course.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
SUNBURY — Patience paid off for Delphos St. John’s.
The Blue Jays garnered third place at the Division III boys state golf tournament after posting a second round 333 Saturday for a 676 total that put them behind Newark Catholic and Seven Hills.
Seven Hills, which made up 12 strokes from day one, snared first by five strokes with a 659. Newark Catholic was second with a 664. Minster finished fifth overall with a 694, winning the fifth score tiebreaker, and Ottoville was 1oth with a 724.
Cardinal Mooney’s Rocco Turner was the tournament medalist at 145. Lima Central Catholic’s Parker Judy finished with a 167 and Miller City’s Will Otto finished with a 183.
On day one, the wind wreaked havoc on individual scores and coming into day two, Blue Jay head coach Aaron Dubow told his team to refocus and be patient.
“I was really happy for our seniors,” Dubow said. “We finished third and that was one of goals when we started. I think that is a top finish for our school at state. I am really proud of our guys. The last two days the conditions were brutal and the guys hung in there.
“I told them you can’t win it on the first day but you can lose it on the second. We were third after the first day and we stuck it and ended up third. They stayed more patient on the back nine. It was really cold this morning, and it was pretty tough, and they played really well on the back nine.”
DSJ freshman Tyce McClain posted an impressive 79 to lead the way on day two and he finished with a two-day total of 162, His score earned him second-team tournament honors, finishing tied for 11th overall.
Senior Jack Gerker shaved five strokes off his first day score by carding an 80 and finishing with a 165. Junior Collin Feathers fired an 85 to go with his 80 Friday for a 165. Caden Wright took six strokes off his first day score for an 89 and a final tally of 184. Ashton Milligan posted a 99 and ended up with a 200 total.
“Most of the time as a coach you don’t want the season to end but I don’t want it to end. It has been a great run and we accomplished all our goals. I am going to miss these guys. I am happy for the seniors going out with a third place finish.”
Like DSJ, MAC foes Minster also came in with a game plan and it paid off.
Wildcat head coach Jeremy Magoto said over dinner Friday the team formulated a game plan and strategically planned how to attack the course.
“Each player has strengths whether it be distance or accuracy so basically said they are going to commit to these clubs and these shots and these targets on these holes and we are not going to deviate and from what I can tell today they stayed true to that,” Magoto said. “I think that was a very successful formula for their scoring.”
Magoto added the team also focused on chipping and on reading the quick greens better in order to make up some strokes.
Louis Magoto, who shaved 13 strokes off his first day total, led the team with an 80. He finished with a two day total of 173. Other Wildcat scores were Mitchell Bornhorst (85-87 — 172, Nathan Beair (86-88 — 174), Jack Meyer (90-87 — 177) and Ray Purdy 91-89 — 180).
“I didn’t think we were ever out of it mentally,” Magoto said. “The overall spirit and energy was higher today. It was really a joy to see these guys take a hole that was unfortunate and to have a positive turnaround. When they were all done around the green they were a team. They were smiling and they were happy.
Ottoville also showed improvement on day two. Grant Leis, who led the team with an 80 Friday followed it up with an 88 to finish with an overall score of 168. Keaton Schnipke shaved five strokes off his first day total and shot an 85 for a two-day total of 175. Michael Turnwald (104-91 and Blake Kortokrax (93-102) both finished with 195s for the tournament. Jace Langhals improved by nine strokes from his first day and carded a 94 for a two-day score of 197.
“Our kids came around today and I am really proud of them after struggling yesterday,” Ottoville head coach Keith Utendorf said. They came around and played some pretty good golf overall and a lot of guys improved their scores from yesterday. That is all I ask and that is to put up a competitive score and put yourself in a position to move up on day two.
“We wanted make sure we enjoyed it today. They were playing at a state tournament on day two. It is a special accomplishment. They really relaxed. We didn’t start out very well again but we came around on the front which is our second nine and put up some competitive scores. I am pretty proud of this group.”
Girls Division II
COLUMBUS — Lima Central Catholic’s Bridget Mulcahy earned first team honors, tying for fourth with a two-day total of 79-77 — 156 at the par 70 Ohio State University Gray Course.
Reach Jose Nogueras at 567-242-0468.
