Wawasee, Howell Advance To State Meet
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
FORT WAYNE - Although the director of the movie "Twister" never shot any scenes of golfers during a tornado, they would have had the perfect opportunity Friday. Valley's Aaron Martin and DeKalb's Tyler Bunch, tied for the final spot that advances to the state golf meet, tried to battle in a playoff through the storm.
But with the sky growing increasingly darker and lightning flashing and wind gusting, Martin and Bunch were called off the course just minutes before a downpour began.
Luckily, the storm didn't delay any of the other golf during the day. One of the most thankful teams for that may have been Wawasee. The Warriors shocked many of the golfers at the Homestead Regional, shooting a 334 and placing third at the meet. That score means Wawasee will advance to the state meet next week.
As expected Fort Wayne Concordia ran away with the event, shooting a 309. Garrett just edged the Warriors for second place with a 333. DeKalb took fourth with a 338, while NorthWood ended fifth with a 339. After a horrendous start, Warsaw bounced back for a sixth-place finish with a score of 341. Valley finished 10th with a 345.
"After the front nine, I didn't think we had much of a chance," Wawasee coach Don Deck said. "But we had one of the best back sides of any of the teams."
Wawasee did come into the clubhouse after the first nine holes with three 41s, a 46 and a 48. But every golfer shot better on the back nine as the Warriors had two 39s, a 40, a 41 and a 42.
Wawasee was one of the most consistent teams at the meet from top-to-bottom as Ryan Skaggs led the Warriors with an 81, while Chad Wortinger shot the worst score on the team with an 87. Wortinger took second at the sectional last week.
"This was certainly very pleasant," Deck said. "It was a very difficult contest."
Adding to the difficulty was gusting wind throughout the event along with some wet grass in many places from rain the previous day. That weather made scores high for most golfers.
One player who wasn't affected by the weather was Warsaw's Justin Howell. He shot a 38 on the front nine and improved on that with a 37 on the back side for a round of 75. That score was second to Fort Wayne Concordia's Ben Fox's 73. Because Concordia advanced to the state meet as a team, Howell had the best score among individuals moving to the state meet.
Howell, who had surely been hoping to go to the meet with the rest of his team, was one of the lone bright spots for Warsaw. The Tigers were in last out of 12 teams after the front nine, shooting a 179. But Warsaw shot a 162 on the last half of the course to jump into sixth place.
"I'm disappointed with the front nine," Warsaw coach Bob Turner said. "On the back nine, it was too little, too late. Howell's played No. 1 for us all year and that's been why. We're going to use the state meet as a building block for the future."
For Tippecanoe Valley, it was a case of three solid scores and two down ones. Aaron Martin shot a 79, while Drew Shafer and Andy Martin each put up scores of 84. But Brian Love had a rough time, shooting a 98, and Brandon Eaton finished with a 105.
"We're disappointed as a team," Valley head coach Roger Moriarty said. "But this was a great learning experience. We have four guys coming back that played in the sectional and regional."
Moriarty said during the meet that holes three, four and five would be the key for his team. Combined, they shot 23-over par on those three holes. The Vikings only ended 11 shots out of the third and final advancing spot as a team, so those holes definitely played a role.
"Everyone was disappointed," Moriarity said. "They thought they could do better. Everyone came here thinking team first and each one of them felt they let the team down. But I'm tickled with them."
Moriarty was especially tickled with Aaron Martin after his round of 79. For Martin, who is a senior, it was a clutch round in what could have been his final high school golf match.
"As a freshman, he was strictly a practice player," Moriarty said. "By the middle of his sophomore year, he made the varsity team. He's worked his tail off to get here. It's a great capper to his career."
Martin will finish his playoff against Bunch today at 8:30 a.m. at Chestnut Hills Golf Course. The winner of that playoff will advance to the state meet, along with Wawasee's golf team and Howell. That meet will take place Wednesday and Thursday. [[In-content Ad]]
FORT WAYNE - Although the director of the movie "Twister" never shot any scenes of golfers during a tornado, they would have had the perfect opportunity Friday. Valley's Aaron Martin and DeKalb's Tyler Bunch, tied for the final spot that advances to the state golf meet, tried to battle in a playoff through the storm.
But with the sky growing increasingly darker and lightning flashing and wind gusting, Martin and Bunch were called off the course just minutes before a downpour began.
Luckily, the storm didn't delay any of the other golf during the day. One of the most thankful teams for that may have been Wawasee. The Warriors shocked many of the golfers at the Homestead Regional, shooting a 334 and placing third at the meet. That score means Wawasee will advance to the state meet next week.
As expected Fort Wayne Concordia ran away with the event, shooting a 309. Garrett just edged the Warriors for second place with a 333. DeKalb took fourth with a 338, while NorthWood ended fifth with a 339. After a horrendous start, Warsaw bounced back for a sixth-place finish with a score of 341. Valley finished 10th with a 345.
"After the front nine, I didn't think we had much of a chance," Wawasee coach Don Deck said. "But we had one of the best back sides of any of the teams."
Wawasee did come into the clubhouse after the first nine holes with three 41s, a 46 and a 48. But every golfer shot better on the back nine as the Warriors had two 39s, a 40, a 41 and a 42.
Wawasee was one of the most consistent teams at the meet from top-to-bottom as Ryan Skaggs led the Warriors with an 81, while Chad Wortinger shot the worst score on the team with an 87. Wortinger took second at the sectional last week.
"This was certainly very pleasant," Deck said. "It was a very difficult contest."
Adding to the difficulty was gusting wind throughout the event along with some wet grass in many places from rain the previous day. That weather made scores high for most golfers.
One player who wasn't affected by the weather was Warsaw's Justin Howell. He shot a 38 on the front nine and improved on that with a 37 on the back side for a round of 75. That score was second to Fort Wayne Concordia's Ben Fox's 73. Because Concordia advanced to the state meet as a team, Howell had the best score among individuals moving to the state meet.
Howell, who had surely been hoping to go to the meet with the rest of his team, was one of the lone bright spots for Warsaw. The Tigers were in last out of 12 teams after the front nine, shooting a 179. But Warsaw shot a 162 on the last half of the course to jump into sixth place.
"I'm disappointed with the front nine," Warsaw coach Bob Turner said. "On the back nine, it was too little, too late. Howell's played No. 1 for us all year and that's been why. We're going to use the state meet as a building block for the future."
For Tippecanoe Valley, it was a case of three solid scores and two down ones. Aaron Martin shot a 79, while Drew Shafer and Andy Martin each put up scores of 84. But Brian Love had a rough time, shooting a 98, and Brandon Eaton finished with a 105.
"We're disappointed as a team," Valley head coach Roger Moriarty said. "But this was a great learning experience. We have four guys coming back that played in the sectional and regional."
Moriarty said during the meet that holes three, four and five would be the key for his team. Combined, they shot 23-over par on those three holes. The Vikings only ended 11 shots out of the third and final advancing spot as a team, so those holes definitely played a role.
"Everyone was disappointed," Moriarity said. "They thought they could do better. Everyone came here thinking team first and each one of them felt they let the team down. But I'm tickled with them."
Moriarty was especially tickled with Aaron Martin after his round of 79. For Martin, who is a senior, it was a clutch round in what could have been his final high school golf match.
"As a freshman, he was strictly a practice player," Moriarty said. "By the middle of his sophomore year, he made the varsity team. He's worked his tail off to get here. It's a great capper to his career."
Martin will finish his playoff against Bunch today at 8:30 a.m. at Chestnut Hills Golf Course. The winner of that playoff will advance to the state meet, along with Wawasee's golf team and Howell. That meet will take place Wednesday and Thursday. [[In-content Ad]]