FRANKLIN - The future appears bright for Warsaw's boys golf team. The sun has set, however, on the high school career of Scotty Boyle, the team's lone senior.
Boyle's prep career came to an end Tuesday in the 73rd annual state finals at Legends of Indiana, where he led the Tigers with a 78.As a team, Warsaw shot 320 and failed to make the cut to play into today's final round of the state finals.
Though his days of playing for the Tigers are now over, Boyle was still able to smile Tuesday.
"It was great to be able to come down here as a senior," said Boyle. "It was special to finish my career here at the state finals. We didn't advance to the second day, but we won the sectional, we got out of the regional. We still had a pretty good season."
The Tigers finished the regular season with a 13-3 mark overall, and with a 5-2 record in the Northern Lakes Conference.
Warsaw won the sectional championship at Stonehenge by a commanding 18 strokes, and then finished third at the regional in Fort Wayne to advance to the state finals.
The other four golfers in the Tigers' lineup Tuesday - freshmen Tyler Ostrom and Bennett Hollar and sophomores Eric Tandy and Mitchell Gauger - give coach Ben Barkey a strong nucleus for next year's team.
"We had a great season," said Barkey. "We made it to state, but right now every one is disappointed. Our goal was to make it to the second day, and today just wasn't our day. We're a young team, we have four of these guys coming back next year. And our goal every year for Warsaw golf is to compete at the state level, unfortunately today just wasn't our day."
Ostrom finished with an 80 for the Tigers, while Hollar and Tandy shot 81s and Gauger finished with a 90.
Triton sophomore Taran Kennedy competed in Tuesday's round as an individual, shooting a 78, and failed to make the cut for today's second round.
"Scotty has been playing so well lately, he really played well for us in the state tournament," said Barkey. "We're going to miss him. For these young guys, being down here at state is a great experience. We're going to use this as a learning experience. We didn't play as well as we could have today, and I hope the kids are eager to work hard. Just because we have four of these kids coming back doesn't mean we can rest on laurels and expect to get back here. This is a great group of kids, though, and they know they have to work hard. And I know they will."
The top nine teams, as well as any team within 12 strokes of the leader advanced to today's second round.
Also advancing were the top nine individuals, exluding those who advanced with a team, as well as any individual who shot par (72) in the first round.
Only nine teams advanced to today's round.
Avon led the way in the first round with a 293, followed in the top five by Evansville North (296), Hamilton Southeastern (299), Chesterton (300) and Brebeuf Jesuit (302).
Indianapolis Cathedral shot 306 Tuesday and was in sixth place, followed by Floyd Central (306), Providence (308) and Twin Lakes (310).
Avon sophomore Patrick Rodgers was the individual leader after Tuesday's round with a 3-under 69.
State Finals
(First Round)
Top nine teams - Avon 293, Evansville North 296, Hamilton Southeastern 299, Chesterton 300, Brebeuf Jesuit 302, Indianapolis Cathedral 306, Floyd Central 306, Providence 308, Twin Lakes 310
Missed the cut - LaPorte 312, Yorktown 313, Bedford North Lawrence 316, Carmel 316, Lafayette Jeff 316, Mishawka Marian 316, Homestead 319, Prairie Heights 319, Warsaw 320, Terre Haute South 322, Northview 326, West Lafayette 326
Individual leader - Patrick Rodgers (Avon) 69
Warsaw scores - Scotty Boyle 78, Tyler Ostrom 80, Eric Tandy 81, Bennett Hollar 81, Mitchell Gauger 90
