Tiger Golfers Don't Survive State Cut
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
AVON -ÊMaybe it was nerves.
Maybe it was the wind and the dry condition of the greens at Prestwick Golf Course.
Maybe it just wasn't Warsaw's day.
Whatever the reason, the Warsaw Tigers did not shoot their best 18 holes of golf Wednesday at the state finals in Avon.
To advance to the final day of play at the state competition today, a team had to be within 20 strokes of the leader. The Tigers missed that mark by six strokes.
Marion and Noblesville, the leaders at the end of Wednesday's first round of competition, finished the day with 309, but Warsaw's team score of 335 was not close enough to advance to today's portion of the tournament. The Tigers were one of six teams eliminated.
The Tigers beat Marion at a tournament earlier this season.
Just after the Tigers teed off Wednesday morning, coach Bob Turner voiced concern about the team's nerves.
"We had a good practice yesterday (Tuesday), but we'll see how they do with all the hoopla down here," he said. "We should do OK if we stay around 320."
Turner's concerns were magnified after the front nine scores came in. At the turn, Warsaw had a 168, with the No. 1 Tiger golfer, Ryan Slone, shooting a 48 on the first nine holes.
"I think the guys were a little nervous in the first nine, but anything can happen," said Turner. "The back nine is pretty windy, though, so I'm a little nervous."
However, the Tigers did not throw in the clubs and give up after a rough first nine holes. The Warsaw squad fought back on the final nine holes to improve its score.
"Four of our five golfers lowered their scores on the back nine," said Turner. "They refused to give up, and that means a lot.
"I think one of our problems on the front nine was nerves. If we had played the front nine like we played the back nine, we would still be playing tomorrow. But we're a young team, and at an event like this, you can't let that affect you."
Justin Howell led the Tiger golfers with a 37 on the front nine. He had a bit of trouble on the back nine with a 42 but finished with a 79 for the day. That score was good enough to advance to the individual finals today at Prestwick.
Aaron Turner finished second for the Warsaw squad with an 81. After his 48 on the front nine, Ryan Slone settled down to shoot a 39 in the last nine holes to finish the day with an 87. Jason Henthorn and Adam Johnson both finished the season with 88s.
Although they did not advance to the final day of play, the Tigers are looking at the event with a positive attitude.
"There are 350 teams who are not here right now," said Turner. "Only the best teams get to play here, and I am proud of this team. They've done what a lot of other teams have not done.
"We have a young team. We plan to use this as a stepping stone for the future. We'll load it up and try it again next year."
Noblesville, ranked No. 2 in the final coaches poll, is the defending champion.
Senior Jeff Chapman, who finished seventh individually in the 1998 state finals, led Noblesville with a 75. Todd Chin paced Marion with 74.
Top-ranked Center Grove shot a 321 and goes into the final day in eighth place.
STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT
First round
Wednesday in Avon
Team scores -ÊMarion 309, Noblesville 309, Fort Wayne Concordia 313, Evansville North 316, Bloomington South 317, Terre Haute North 318, Lafayette Jefferson 319, Center Grove 321, Garrett 322, Glenn 324, Southmont 324, Columbus North 328, Floyd Central 328, Carmel 329, South Bend Clay 329, Greenfield-Central 330*, Terre Haute South 330*, South Vermillion 332*, Martinsville 333*, Warsaw 335*, Chesterton 337*
*Did not advance to Thurday's second round
Warsaw scores -ÊJustin Howell 37-42-79, Aaron Turner 41-40-81, Ryan Slone 48-39-87, Jason Henthorn 44-44-88, Adam Johnson 46-42-88.
Warsaw's Howell advances to the individual tournament today. [[In-content Ad]]
AVON -ÊMaybe it was nerves.
Maybe it was the wind and the dry condition of the greens at Prestwick Golf Course.
Maybe it just wasn't Warsaw's day.
Whatever the reason, the Warsaw Tigers did not shoot their best 18 holes of golf Wednesday at the state finals in Avon.
To advance to the final day of play at the state competition today, a team had to be within 20 strokes of the leader. The Tigers missed that mark by six strokes.
Marion and Noblesville, the leaders at the end of Wednesday's first round of competition, finished the day with 309, but Warsaw's team score of 335 was not close enough to advance to today's portion of the tournament. The Tigers were one of six teams eliminated.
The Tigers beat Marion at a tournament earlier this season.
Just after the Tigers teed off Wednesday morning, coach Bob Turner voiced concern about the team's nerves.
"We had a good practice yesterday (Tuesday), but we'll see how they do with all the hoopla down here," he said. "We should do OK if we stay around 320."
Turner's concerns were magnified after the front nine scores came in. At the turn, Warsaw had a 168, with the No. 1 Tiger golfer, Ryan Slone, shooting a 48 on the first nine holes.
"I think the guys were a little nervous in the first nine, but anything can happen," said Turner. "The back nine is pretty windy, though, so I'm a little nervous."
However, the Tigers did not throw in the clubs and give up after a rough first nine holes. The Warsaw squad fought back on the final nine holes to improve its score.
"Four of our five golfers lowered their scores on the back nine," said Turner. "They refused to give up, and that means a lot.
"I think one of our problems on the front nine was nerves. If we had played the front nine like we played the back nine, we would still be playing tomorrow. But we're a young team, and at an event like this, you can't let that affect you."
Justin Howell led the Tiger golfers with a 37 on the front nine. He had a bit of trouble on the back nine with a 42 but finished with a 79 for the day. That score was good enough to advance to the individual finals today at Prestwick.
Aaron Turner finished second for the Warsaw squad with an 81. After his 48 on the front nine, Ryan Slone settled down to shoot a 39 in the last nine holes to finish the day with an 87. Jason Henthorn and Adam Johnson both finished the season with 88s.
Although they did not advance to the final day of play, the Tigers are looking at the event with a positive attitude.
"There are 350 teams who are not here right now," said Turner. "Only the best teams get to play here, and I am proud of this team. They've done what a lot of other teams have not done.
"We have a young team. We plan to use this as a stepping stone for the future. We'll load it up and try it again next year."
Noblesville, ranked No. 2 in the final coaches poll, is the defending champion.
Senior Jeff Chapman, who finished seventh individually in the 1998 state finals, led Noblesville with a 75. Todd Chin paced Marion with 74.
Top-ranked Center Grove shot a 321 and goes into the final day in eighth place.
STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT
First round
Wednesday in Avon
Team scores -ÊMarion 309, Noblesville 309, Fort Wayne Concordia 313, Evansville North 316, Bloomington South 317, Terre Haute North 318, Lafayette Jefferson 319, Center Grove 321, Garrett 322, Glenn 324, Southmont 324, Columbus North 328, Floyd Central 328, Carmel 329, South Bend Clay 329, Greenfield-Central 330*, Terre Haute South 330*, South Vermillion 332*, Martinsville 333*, Warsaw 335*, Chesterton 337*
*Did not advance to Thurday's second round
Warsaw scores -ÊJustin Howell 37-42-79, Aaron Turner 41-40-81, Ryan Slone 48-39-87, Jason Henthorn 44-44-88, Adam Johnson 46-42-88.
Warsaw's Howell advances to the individual tournament today. [[In-content Ad]]