FORT WAYNE - The Homestead Golf Regional at Chestnut Hills Golf Course on Friday was a pretty good image of the Warsaw Tigers season.

The Tigers started slowly and finished with a flurry, as they put a scare into the top teams at the regional but came up just a bit short.

Warsaw ended fifth with a 336, nine shots behind both DeKalb and East Noble. DeKalb won the competition on a tie-breaker. Elkhart Central ended third with a 330 to qualify for the state finals.

After the first nine holes, Warsaw was in 10th of 12 teams with a 175. Chris Osbeck and Justin Howell each shot a 42 on the front nine to help the Tigers stay close to the frontrunners, but Ben Barkey and Kevin Aust struggled, shooting a 53 and a 47 respectively.

"We had a rough start on the front nine," Warsaw head coach Bob Turner said. "It was a case where you have a golf course that just reached out and bit them. The bright spot was that the kids didn't give up. They came back on the back nine and scared a few people."

Warsaw responded on the back nine with a 161. Only Concord shot better on the final nine holes, posting a 159. No. 1 player Kevin Powell shot a 39, while Chris Osbeck shot a 40. However, the poor start cost Warsaw in the end.

Putting seemed to be the big problem for Warsaw on the golf course Friday afternoon.

"I hit the ball well," Howell, a freshman, said. "But I had about five three-putts. I wasn't putting too well."

Howell shot an 83, one stroke behind Osbeck for top honors among Warsaw golfers. Powell also shot an 83 and Aust had an 88. Barkey finished with a disappointing 96.

One big positive was the play of the underclassmen as the Tigers look to the future and building on this season.

"Those underclassmen are hungry right now," Turner said. "Osbeck did well when he played in the NLC meet. He had our best score today. The freshman, Justin Howell, has been in a dog fight all season with Powell for the best average."

Warsaw closed out the season with 14 wins in 15 matches to end 15-5. Turner considered the season a success.

"The teams that advanced were the best teams. Under the circumstances, we would have liked to advance, but we gave it our best and got what we were capable of getting. We didn't have any superstars, but we had eight golfers who gave it their all every time."

Aust and Barkey both graduated and Turner will miss them next year.

"I appreciate what the seniors have done here the last four years," Turner said. "They not only have been leaders on the golf course, but they have been leaders off the course. I wish them the best of luck."

Valley's Darren Parker was also at the regional after qualifying as an individual at the sectional. He struggled on the first four holes, bogeying each of them on his way to a 13-over 85. He was nine shots from moving on to the state finals on Wednesday and Thursday at Prestwick Country Club in Indianapolis.

"If you ask him, he's pretty disappointed," Valley coach Roger Moriarty said. "He started off with three three-putts. The thing is, he was striking the ball so well. It was just a case of nerves."

Parker agreed with his coach's assessment of his game.

"I hit the ball straight. The biggest problem I had was chipping and putting. I hit the ball straighter than I ever have. It was a great day (in that area)."

Parker has played his final high school golf match and will move on to Ball State in the fall. [[In-content Ad]]