Johnson Leads Tigers To Sectional Title
June 3, 2017 at 3:26 a.m.
Johnson Leads Tigers To Sectional Title
By Dale [email protected]
Led by senior Luke Johnson’s medalist round of 74, the Tigers captured the team title with a four-man score of 309.
The end result for Johnson and the Tigers was as beautiful as the weather.
Warsaw won its first sectional title since 2013, ending a three-year reign by Columbia City, and claimed its 27th championship overall. The Tigers also washed the bad taste out of their mouths after not advancing to the regional last season for the first time since 1993.
Johnson’s individual title came in his first sectional appearance.
“We didn’t have any seniors last year, and for them to not get out of the sectional last year was a huge disappointment,” said first-year Warsaw coach Rich Haddad.
“We have such a tradition of a strong golf program, so this was really a focus. We played well in the NLCs ... didn’t quite get the title, but the guys immediately turned their focus to the sectional.
“I’m really proud of all of them today. All of them had some bad holes today, but none of them gave up, none of them quit. They all played a solid round of golf.”
The Tigers’ collective solid round – which included Johnson’s 74, Luke Delp’s 77, Sam Yeager’s 78, Tim Rata’s 80 and Tommy Meier’s 83 – allowed them a 10-stroke cushion.
Plymouth and Culver Academies both shot 319, with Plymouth claiming the runner-up spot via a fifth-man tiebreaker.
Columbia City finished fourth at 321, followed by Northfield (329), Triton (330),?Manchester (338), Wawasee (352), Huntington North (354), Tippecanoe Valley (360) and Whitko (363).
The top three teams, as well as the top three individuals not on an advancing team, qualified for Thursday’s regional at Stonehenge.
Plymouth’s Micah Calhoun and Manchester freshman Harley Kruschwitz tied for second individually with 75s.
Advancing to the regional as individuals are Kruschwitz, Columbia City’s Spencer McCammon (76) and Triton’s Braden Kreft (78), who won a playoff against Nick Decker of Columbia City.
“It was more nerve-racking than it is for other events, since everybody is older than me,” Kruschwitz said when asked about the pressure of playing in the sectional as a freshman.
“You just gotta play your best and focus on what you gotta do.”
Johnson’s round began with a birdie putt, and then he just kept momentum going en route to the best 18-hole score of his career.
“I just tried to go out there and have fun today,” said Johnson. “That’s my biggest key – if I’m not having fun I’ll be stressed and all tensed up and I won’t play well. So I just went out and had fun.”
To go with Kreft’s 78, Triton got an 81 from Isaac Wall, 85 from Beau Hepler, 86 from Spencer Johnson and an 89 from Bryce Swihart.
Parker Wagoner and Nathan Self shot 85s for Manchester to compliment Kruschwitz’s 75.
Tim Gensch led Whitko with an 82, while Jared Krugman paced Wawasee with an 83 and Jeremy Julian led Valley with an 85.
WARSAW SECTIONAL
Rozella Ford, par 70
Note – top 3 teams and top 3 individuals not on an advancing team advance to the regional
Team Scores – Warsaw 309, Plymouth 319, Culver Academies 319, Columbia City 321, Northfield 329, Triton 330, Manchester 338, Wawasee 352, Huntington North 354, Tippecanoe Valley 360, Whitko 363
Medalist – Luke Johnson (Warsaw) 74
Advancing Individuals – Harley Kruschwitz (Manchester) 75, Spencer McCammon (Col. City) 76, Braden Kreft (Triton) 78
(Local Teams)
Warsaw – Luke Johnson 74, Luke Delp 77, Sam Yeager 78, Tim Rata 80, Tommy Meier 83
Triton – Braden Kreft 78, Isaac Wall 81, Beau Hepler 85, Spencer Johnson 86, Bryce Swihart 89
Manchester – Harley Kruschwitz 75, Parker Wagoner 85, Nathan Self 85, Konrad Borgmann 93, Klayton Hendrix 102
Wawasee – Jared Krugman 83, Dillon Drake 89, Zach Leedy 90, Evan Dippon 90, Cameron Brill 105
Valley – Jeremy Julian 85, Cade Brouyette 87, Noah Hoffman 92, Chris Schipper 96, John Young 100
Whitko – Tim Gensch 82, Kaleb Busz 85, Cade Bechtold 89, Cole Cmar 107
E-Editions
Led by senior Luke Johnson’s medalist round of 74, the Tigers captured the team title with a four-man score of 309.
The end result for Johnson and the Tigers was as beautiful as the weather.
Warsaw won its first sectional title since 2013, ending a three-year reign by Columbia City, and claimed its 27th championship overall. The Tigers also washed the bad taste out of their mouths after not advancing to the regional last season for the first time since 1993.
Johnson’s individual title came in his first sectional appearance.
“We didn’t have any seniors last year, and for them to not get out of the sectional last year was a huge disappointment,” said first-year Warsaw coach Rich Haddad.
“We have such a tradition of a strong golf program, so this was really a focus. We played well in the NLCs ... didn’t quite get the title, but the guys immediately turned their focus to the sectional.
“I’m really proud of all of them today. All of them had some bad holes today, but none of them gave up, none of them quit. They all played a solid round of golf.”
The Tigers’ collective solid round – which included Johnson’s 74, Luke Delp’s 77, Sam Yeager’s 78, Tim Rata’s 80 and Tommy Meier’s 83 – allowed them a 10-stroke cushion.
Plymouth and Culver Academies both shot 319, with Plymouth claiming the runner-up spot via a fifth-man tiebreaker.
Columbia City finished fourth at 321, followed by Northfield (329), Triton (330),?Manchester (338), Wawasee (352), Huntington North (354), Tippecanoe Valley (360) and Whitko (363).
The top three teams, as well as the top three individuals not on an advancing team, qualified for Thursday’s regional at Stonehenge.
Plymouth’s Micah Calhoun and Manchester freshman Harley Kruschwitz tied for second individually with 75s.
Advancing to the regional as individuals are Kruschwitz, Columbia City’s Spencer McCammon (76) and Triton’s Braden Kreft (78), who won a playoff against Nick Decker of Columbia City.
“It was more nerve-racking than it is for other events, since everybody is older than me,” Kruschwitz said when asked about the pressure of playing in the sectional as a freshman.
“You just gotta play your best and focus on what you gotta do.”
Johnson’s round began with a birdie putt, and then he just kept momentum going en route to the best 18-hole score of his career.
“I just tried to go out there and have fun today,” said Johnson. “That’s my biggest key – if I’m not having fun I’ll be stressed and all tensed up and I won’t play well. So I just went out and had fun.”
To go with Kreft’s 78, Triton got an 81 from Isaac Wall, 85 from Beau Hepler, 86 from Spencer Johnson and an 89 from Bryce Swihart.
Parker Wagoner and Nathan Self shot 85s for Manchester to compliment Kruschwitz’s 75.
Tim Gensch led Whitko with an 82, while Jared Krugman paced Wawasee with an 83 and Jeremy Julian led Valley with an 85.
WARSAW SECTIONAL
Rozella Ford, par 70
Note – top 3 teams and top 3 individuals not on an advancing team advance to the regional
Team Scores – Warsaw 309, Plymouth 319, Culver Academies 319, Columbia City 321, Northfield 329, Triton 330, Manchester 338, Wawasee 352, Huntington North 354, Tippecanoe Valley 360, Whitko 363
Medalist – Luke Johnson (Warsaw) 74
Advancing Individuals – Harley Kruschwitz (Manchester) 75, Spencer McCammon (Col. City) 76, Braden Kreft (Triton) 78
(Local Teams)
Warsaw – Luke Johnson 74, Luke Delp 77, Sam Yeager 78, Tim Rata 80, Tommy Meier 83
Triton – Braden Kreft 78, Isaac Wall 81, Beau Hepler 85, Spencer Johnson 86, Bryce Swihart 89
Manchester – Harley Kruschwitz 75, Parker Wagoner 85, Nathan Self 85, Konrad Borgmann 93, Klayton Hendrix 102
Wawasee – Jared Krugman 83, Dillon Drake 89, Zach Leedy 90, Evan Dippon 90, Cameron Brill 105
Valley – Jeremy Julian 85, Cade Brouyette 87, Noah Hoffman 92, Chris Schipper 96, John Young 100
Whitko – Tim Gensch 82, Kaleb Busz 85, Cade Bechtold 89, Cole Cmar 107
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