Lone Senior Wins Medallist Honors, Leads Tiger Golfers Past Tippecanoe Valley
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
WINONA LAKE - Loaded with talented underclassmen, Warsaw's varsity boys golf team was led Wednesday by its lone senior.
Ben Brodhead, who normally plays lower in lineup but played in the No. 1 spot for Senior Night, played the last regular season match of his career Wednesday at Stonehenge Golf Club and went out a winner.
After starting out three strokes over par on the first three holes of Stonehenge's front nine, Ben Brodhead tuned up his game and finished with a par score of 35, earning match medallist honors and leading 14th-ranked Warsaw to a 144-174 win over visiting Tippecanoe Valley.
"All the guys on this team have the ability to play the (number) one," said Warsaw coach Ben Barkey, whose Tigers improved to 15-3 on the season with the 30-stroke win. "It was Senior Night so Ben played in the No. 1 spot. He started out three over after three holes but came back and shot a 35, that's a sign of maturity. He got a lot of birdie holes and a lot of birdie opportunities."
Other scores in Warsaw's six-man lineup included 36s from juniors Jake Brodhead and Trent Barlow, a 37 from junior Chris Hanson, a 40 from junior Jon Clevenger and a 41 from freshman Grant Slater.
"Anything below 150 we'll take," said Barkey. "We've got talent, we just need to get the right mindset. When they step on the course I want them to believe they're the team to beat, and then go out and perform like it. I want them to have that confidence. When they get that frame of mind we're going to be a very dangerous team."
Tippecanoe Valley coach Roger Moriarty already believes Warsaw is a dangerous team.
"Ben (Barkey) has an opportunity to run the whole table," said Moriarty, whose Vikings will battle Warsaw at Stonehenge again Saturday in the sectional round of the state tournament. "He's got talented players that have played on tough courses. There's not a course that's going to scare them. He's got a great opportunity here."
For Moriarty's Viking squad, Josh Johnson and Josh Murphy led the way with 43s, while Michael Domenico and Adam Martin shot 44s. Brandon Stavedahl shot a 50 for Valley, while Brent Vandermark added a 69.
Valley is now 12-7 on the season heading into Saturday's Warsaw Sectional.
"We played here (Tuesday) and got 18 in," said Moriarty. "It makes a big difference if this isn't your home course. We wanted to give the kids a chance to get comfortable on the course. This is a tough, tough course to play. First of all, the kids haven't seen speeds on the green like this. Secondly, the length of the course. You've got to place your ball where you want it to go or you'll get in trouble. It's easy to take a high number on a hole here, but it's a fantastic place. They always treat you right here."
Joining Warsaw and Valley Saturday in the sectional are Argos, Bremen, Culver, Culver Military, Manchester, Northfield, Plymouth, Southwood, Triton, Wabash and Wawasee.
NO. 14 WARSAW 144, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 174
Warsaw scores - Bren Brodhead 35, Jon Clevenger 40, Jake Brodhead 36, Chris Hanson 37, Grant Slater 41, Trent Barlow 36
Valley scores - Josh Murphy 43, Michael Domenico 44, Adam Martin 44, Josh Johnson 43, Brandon Stavedahl 50, Brent Vandermark 69 [[In-content Ad]]
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WINONA LAKE - Loaded with talented underclassmen, Warsaw's varsity boys golf team was led Wednesday by its lone senior.
Ben Brodhead, who normally plays lower in lineup but played in the No. 1 spot for Senior Night, played the last regular season match of his career Wednesday at Stonehenge Golf Club and went out a winner.
After starting out three strokes over par on the first three holes of Stonehenge's front nine, Ben Brodhead tuned up his game and finished with a par score of 35, earning match medallist honors and leading 14th-ranked Warsaw to a 144-174 win over visiting Tippecanoe Valley.
"All the guys on this team have the ability to play the (number) one," said Warsaw coach Ben Barkey, whose Tigers improved to 15-3 on the season with the 30-stroke win. "It was Senior Night so Ben played in the No. 1 spot. He started out three over after three holes but came back and shot a 35, that's a sign of maturity. He got a lot of birdie holes and a lot of birdie opportunities."
Other scores in Warsaw's six-man lineup included 36s from juniors Jake Brodhead and Trent Barlow, a 37 from junior Chris Hanson, a 40 from junior Jon Clevenger and a 41 from freshman Grant Slater.
"Anything below 150 we'll take," said Barkey. "We've got talent, we just need to get the right mindset. When they step on the course I want them to believe they're the team to beat, and then go out and perform like it. I want them to have that confidence. When they get that frame of mind we're going to be a very dangerous team."
Tippecanoe Valley coach Roger Moriarty already believes Warsaw is a dangerous team.
"Ben (Barkey) has an opportunity to run the whole table," said Moriarty, whose Vikings will battle Warsaw at Stonehenge again Saturday in the sectional round of the state tournament. "He's got talented players that have played on tough courses. There's not a course that's going to scare them. He's got a great opportunity here."
For Moriarty's Viking squad, Josh Johnson and Josh Murphy led the way with 43s, while Michael Domenico and Adam Martin shot 44s. Brandon Stavedahl shot a 50 for Valley, while Brent Vandermark added a 69.
Valley is now 12-7 on the season heading into Saturday's Warsaw Sectional.
"We played here (Tuesday) and got 18 in," said Moriarty. "It makes a big difference if this isn't your home course. We wanted to give the kids a chance to get comfortable on the course. This is a tough, tough course to play. First of all, the kids haven't seen speeds on the green like this. Secondly, the length of the course. You've got to place your ball where you want it to go or you'll get in trouble. It's easy to take a high number on a hole here, but it's a fantastic place. They always treat you right here."
Joining Warsaw and Valley Saturday in the sectional are Argos, Bremen, Culver, Culver Military, Manchester, Northfield, Plymouth, Southwood, Triton, Wabash and Wawasee.
NO. 14 WARSAW 144, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 174
Warsaw scores - Bren Brodhead 35, Jon Clevenger 40, Jake Brodhead 36, Chris Hanson 37, Grant Slater 41, Trent Barlow 36
Valley scores - Josh Murphy 43, Michael Domenico 44, Adam Martin 44, Josh Johnson 43, Brandon Stavedahl 50, Brent Vandermark 69 [[In-content Ad]]