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AVON - Tippecanoe Valley's boys golf team celebrated its first state finals trip in style, arriving at Prestwick Country Club in a gigantic motor home.
The Vikings had teams outclassed when it came to arrivals, but how they will fare on the course is still unknown.
Weather already has wrenched its way into the equation. Wednesday's first round was postponed with play far from complete. A first storm delayed play for 90 minutes during the middle day, and a second storm late in the afternoon prematurely ended the first round.
While Warsaw sophomore Aaron Turner was delayed by the first storm because of his 8:40 a.m. tee time, he completed 18 holes.
The top nine individuals and all those within six strokes of the leader advance to second-round play.
While the first round is far from complete, Turner put himself in position to advance to the final round. The best score was a 73, so Turner's 78 had him within strokes. Turner and his dad, Warsaw coach Bob Turner, felt confident his score would stand up on the par-72 course.
He will find out for sure today when the postponed first round is complete.
Despite a 90-minute rain delay, gusting winds and a handful of blown putts, Aaron Turner displayed solid course management.
He stayed out of major trouble throughout the day, firing a 39 on the front nine and a 39 on the back nine. He hit straight as nearly all of his shots landed in the fairway.
Turner parred 11 holes, and his worst score on a hole was a six on No. 18, a par-5 hole.
"I tried to play the wind on most holes and tried to keep it in play," Aaron Turner said. "I struck the ball well from tee to green. I struggled with my putting."
Had he nailed his putts, he could have shaved five strokes off his score, but on this day, all the missed putts did was keep a good score from being a great score. His dad predicted he would shoot 76 to 78 with a good day.
"A 78 with the rain delay and the wind was a solid round of golf," Bob Turner said. "His Achilles' (heel) has always been three putts, but I thought his tee to green was good all day."
Tippecanoe Valley's Drew Shafer, Andy Martin, Brian Love, Brandon Eaton and Anthony Domenico, competing as one of the final 21 teams, were not as fortunate.
Valley, seeded 19th, was one of the last three teams to tee off. The Vikings' first tee time was supposed to be 12:56 p.m., but the first storm pushed the time later.
By the time the second storm stopped play for the day, Love, the No. 3 golfer, was on only the third hole. Shafer and Martin were behind him. No Viking completed nine holes, and 18 were supposed to be completed Wednesday by every team and individual.
Now the golfers are possibly looking at 36 holes of golf today, weather permitting. Play will begin where it left off Wednesday. Once all the golfers complete the first round, the final round will follow immediately. For Valley to advance in the team competition, the Vikings must be in the top nine or within 20 strokes of first place.
