Wawasee Boys Win Golf Sectional Title
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Though under the radar much of the regular season, Wawasee's varsity boys golf team came out on top Saturday.
Behind the match medalist-performance of senior Darrin Cripe, as well as solid play from its second, third and fourth golfers, Wawasee shot 308 and won the Warsaw Sectional championship at Stonehenge Golf Club.
The Warriors, who were unranked much of the season but are now ranked 16th in the state, finished third at last year's sectional after shooting 340. The sectional title was the first for Wawasee since 2002.
While Warsaw won sectional titles the past two years, as well the regional title last year en route to finishing third in the state with four underclassmen in the lineup, it was the Warriors who looked like seasoned veterans Saturday, improving their 2004 sectional score by 36 strokes.
"We played better," said Wawasee coach Steve Coverstone when asked the difference from his team's play Saturday compared to last year's sectional. "It was Andy Wolfe's first year, Andy Custer's first year, Darrin Cripe had moved to South Carolina and Jordan Dawes wasn't even in high school yet."
Cripe moved back for his senior year and shot two-over par 73 to garner medalist honors, while Wolfe shot 75, Dawes 77, Tyler Rondeau 79 and Custer 85.
Wolfe shared second-place individual honors with Warsaw senior Chris Hanson.
"Darrin has been really steady," said Coverstone, whose Warriors lost just one match during the regular season. "He hasn't had a bad round all year. He didn't quite make all the putts he would have liked to, but it's a tough golf course."
The top three teams, as well as the top three individuals not on an advancing team, advance to Thursday's Homestead Regional at Chestnut Hills.
Warsaw finished second with a 308, while Plymouth advanced by finishing a distant third after shooting 330.
Culver Academy missed the regional by one stroke, finishing fourth with a 331, followed by Triton (341), Wabash (343), Bremen (346), Manchester (352), Tippecanoe Valley (358), Northfield (377), Southwood (380), Argos (386) and Culver Community (389).
Advancing to regional play as individuals are Wabash's Tyler Olsen (78), Culver Academy's Jason Kreps (79) and Northfield's Evan Witkoske (80).
Though his team advanced and lost the sectional championship by an average of just one stroke per man, third-year Warsaw coach Ben Barkey was not happy.
"We do get to play next week in the regional, which is important to us," said Barkey. "We'll be happy about advancing in 10 minutes, or maybe tomorrow, but right now I'm still thinking about the loss. I'm very disppointed. This is about as disappointed as I've been. We played terrible. Our short game was terrible. We didn't have any fire, especially from our seniors."
Senior Chris Hanson led the Tigers with a four-over par 75, while classmates Jake Brodead and Jon Clevenger shot 76 and 77, respectively. Sophomores Grant Slater and Tad Nieter rounded out the Tiger lineup by shooting 80 and 85, respectively.
Warsaw entered Saturday's sectional play on its home course on top of its game.
Two weeks ago, the Tigers shot a school record 292 to win the Northern Lakes Conference match as Brodhead set multiple school records with his 18-hole round of 64.
In their final home match of the season, the Tigers shot a school record nine-hole round of 135 as Brodhead and Slater both shot 33s, Hanson 34 and Clevenger even-par 35 on the front nine.
Saturday, however, Warsaw looked like a different team.
"I don't know," Barkey said when asked what was different about his team's play in the sectional. "Wawasee played well, it's as simple as that. They haven't gotten much respect around the state, but they are definitely a group of talented golfers."
Freshman T.J. Carpenter, nephew of coach Jack Carpenter, led Triton with an 81.
Tippecanoe Valley was led by Adam Martin and Brandon Stavedahl, who both shot 85.
Doug Hayden led Manchester with an 83.
WARSAW SECTIONAL
Team scores - Wawasee 304, Warsaw 308, Plymouth 330, Culver Academy 331, Triton 341, Wabash 343, Bremen 346, Manchester 352, Tippecanoe Valley 358, Northfield 377, Southwood 380, Argos 386, Culver Community 389
Actual low scores - Darrin Cripe (Wawa) 73, Andy Wolfe (Wawa) 75, Chris Hanson (War) 75
Low individuals not on advancing team - Tyler Olsen (Wab) 78, Jason Kreps (CMA) 79, Evan Witkoske (NF) 80
Wawasee scores - Andy Wolfe 75, Darrin Cripe 73, Andy Custer 85, Tyler Rondeau 79, Jordan Dawes 77
Warsaw scores - Jake Brodhead 76, Chris Hanson 75, Jon Clevenger 77, Grant Slater 80, Tad Nieter 85
Manchester scores - Andy Burton 87, Doug Hayden 83, Alec Williams 86, Brecken Kennedy 96, Nick Fenton 107
Triton scores - Jared Nifong 83, T.J. Carpenter 81, Reggie Davis 86, Matt Miller 92, Kyle Kreft 91
Valley scores - Adam Martin 85, Brandon Stavedahl 85, Joe Murphy 118, Bryce Kelley 101, Michael Domenico 87 [[In-content Ad]]
Though under the radar much of the regular season, Wawasee's varsity boys golf team came out on top Saturday.
Behind the match medalist-performance of senior Darrin Cripe, as well as solid play from its second, third and fourth golfers, Wawasee shot 308 and won the Warsaw Sectional championship at Stonehenge Golf Club.
The Warriors, who were unranked much of the season but are now ranked 16th in the state, finished third at last year's sectional after shooting 340. The sectional title was the first for Wawasee since 2002.
While Warsaw won sectional titles the past two years, as well the regional title last year en route to finishing third in the state with four underclassmen in the lineup, it was the Warriors who looked like seasoned veterans Saturday, improving their 2004 sectional score by 36 strokes.
"We played better," said Wawasee coach Steve Coverstone when asked the difference from his team's play Saturday compared to last year's sectional. "It was Andy Wolfe's first year, Andy Custer's first year, Darrin Cripe had moved to South Carolina and Jordan Dawes wasn't even in high school yet."
Cripe moved back for his senior year and shot two-over par 73 to garner medalist honors, while Wolfe shot 75, Dawes 77, Tyler Rondeau 79 and Custer 85.
Wolfe shared second-place individual honors with Warsaw senior Chris Hanson.
"Darrin has been really steady," said Coverstone, whose Warriors lost just one match during the regular season. "He hasn't had a bad round all year. He didn't quite make all the putts he would have liked to, but it's a tough golf course."
The top three teams, as well as the top three individuals not on an advancing team, advance to Thursday's Homestead Regional at Chestnut Hills.
Warsaw finished second with a 308, while Plymouth advanced by finishing a distant third after shooting 330.
Culver Academy missed the regional by one stroke, finishing fourth with a 331, followed by Triton (341), Wabash (343), Bremen (346), Manchester (352), Tippecanoe Valley (358), Northfield (377), Southwood (380), Argos (386) and Culver Community (389).
Advancing to regional play as individuals are Wabash's Tyler Olsen (78), Culver Academy's Jason Kreps (79) and Northfield's Evan Witkoske (80).
Though his team advanced and lost the sectional championship by an average of just one stroke per man, third-year Warsaw coach Ben Barkey was not happy.
"We do get to play next week in the regional, which is important to us," said Barkey. "We'll be happy about advancing in 10 minutes, or maybe tomorrow, but right now I'm still thinking about the loss. I'm very disppointed. This is about as disappointed as I've been. We played terrible. Our short game was terrible. We didn't have any fire, especially from our seniors."
Senior Chris Hanson led the Tigers with a four-over par 75, while classmates Jake Brodead and Jon Clevenger shot 76 and 77, respectively. Sophomores Grant Slater and Tad Nieter rounded out the Tiger lineup by shooting 80 and 85, respectively.
Warsaw entered Saturday's sectional play on its home course on top of its game.
Two weeks ago, the Tigers shot a school record 292 to win the Northern Lakes Conference match as Brodhead set multiple school records with his 18-hole round of 64.
In their final home match of the season, the Tigers shot a school record nine-hole round of 135 as Brodhead and Slater both shot 33s, Hanson 34 and Clevenger even-par 35 on the front nine.
Saturday, however, Warsaw looked like a different team.
"I don't know," Barkey said when asked what was different about his team's play in the sectional. "Wawasee played well, it's as simple as that. They haven't gotten much respect around the state, but they are definitely a group of talented golfers."
Freshman T.J. Carpenter, nephew of coach Jack Carpenter, led Triton with an 81.
Tippecanoe Valley was led by Adam Martin and Brandon Stavedahl, who both shot 85.
Doug Hayden led Manchester with an 83.
WARSAW SECTIONAL
Team scores - Wawasee 304, Warsaw 308, Plymouth 330, Culver Academy 331, Triton 341, Wabash 343, Bremen 346, Manchester 352, Tippecanoe Valley 358, Northfield 377, Southwood 380, Argos 386, Culver Community 389
Actual low scores - Darrin Cripe (Wawa) 73, Andy Wolfe (Wawa) 75, Chris Hanson (War) 75
Low individuals not on advancing team - Tyler Olsen (Wab) 78, Jason Kreps (CMA) 79, Evan Witkoske (NF) 80
Wawasee scores - Andy Wolfe 75, Darrin Cripe 73, Andy Custer 85, Tyler Rondeau 79, Jordan Dawes 77
Warsaw scores - Jake Brodhead 76, Chris Hanson 75, Jon Clevenger 77, Grant Slater 80, Tad Nieter 85
Manchester scores - Andy Burton 87, Doug Hayden 83, Alec Williams 86, Brecken Kennedy 96, Nick Fenton 107
Triton scores - Jared Nifong 83, T.J. Carpenter 81, Reggie Davis 86, Matt Miller 92, Kyle Kreft 91
Valley scores - Adam Martin 85, Brandon Stavedahl 85, Joe Murphy 118, Bryce Kelley 101, Michael Domenico 87 [[In-content Ad]]