Warsaw's Ostrom, Triton's Carpenter among top individual contenders
Posted
Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
While seventh-ranked Warsaw is the heavy favorite to win the team title, the more action-packed story from Friday’s high school boys golf sectional at Stonehenge may be the battle for top individual honors. Action gets underway at 10 a.m., as 14 teams vye for a spot in Thursday’s regional at Orchard Ridge Country Club in Fort Wayne. If things turn out the way they look on paper, the Tigers will win their 25th sectional title in program history. The top three teams, as well as the top three indiviuals not on an advancing team, will qualify for the regional. “Obviously, Warsaw is the favorite,” said Triton coach Jack Carpenter. “After that, you’ve got teams hoping to finish second and third. We’re like everyone else, we’re gonna be chasing Warsaw. The closer we are to Warsaw, the better shot we have to get out.” Triton won its only sectional title in program history last year, shooting a 304 and beating the Tigers on a fifth-man tiebreaker. Three of the five players from that team will suit up for the Trojans Friday – including junior Quentyn Carpenter, who shot 1-under 70 to win medalist honors at least year’s sectional. Warsaw senior Tyler Ostrom, the defending state champion, finished second individually at the sectional a year ago with a 73. Carpenter and Ostrom are among the favorites to win medalist honors Friday. The duo will play in the same group, which will tee off at 10:32 a.m. “I’m sure there will be a lot of people following that group,” said Warsaw coach Ben Barkey. “It’s going to be an electrifying atmosphere. Quentyn is the defending sectional champion, but we know what Tyler has done and what he’s capable of. I really believe I’ve got four guys on my team that could be medalist Friday.” Of the five golfers that will play for Warsaw Friday, three of them have won an 18-hole invitational this season – the Ball State-bound Ostrom, Jon Schram and Tim Ahlersmeyer. Barkey also speaks very highly of Bennett Hollar, who recently signed to continue his golfing career at Wheaton College. “Stonehenge is Bennett Hollar’s home course,” said Barkey. “He’s very capable of playing very well there. I have a lot of respect for Jack (Carpenter) and Triton’s team, but I wouldn’t trade my players for any body on another team.” Other participating teams include Bremen, Columbia City, Culver Military, Culver Community, Manchester, Northfield, Plymouth, Southwood, Tippecanoe Valley, Wabash, Wawasee and Whitko. For the third consecutive year, the Tigers went through the regular season undefeated in nine-hole matches. They won the Northern Lakes Conference for the sixth straight year, and set a school record by winning six consecutive 18-hole tournaments. That streak came to an end this past weekend with a third-place finish at the Lafayette Jeff Invitational, but Barkey believes winning the sectional would give his team momentum toward accomplishing its ultimate goal. “Our goal is the same every year, we want to advance to the second day at state and be in the mix to win a state championship,” said Barkey. “We’ve had another very successful season, and winning the sectional would give us some more momentum.” Trying to win his second-straight individual sectional title, Carpenter enters Friday’s round with some momentum of his own. Triton’s talented junior has won the last three 18-hole tournaments he has competed in. He shot 2-under 69 at Mystic Hills to win the Northern State Conference match. He carded a school-record 5-under 65 at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club to win the Bob Turner Classic. And this past weekend, he shot 1-over 73 and won medalist honors at the Lafayette Jeff Invite. “Quentyn is a grinder,” said Jack Carpenter. “His work ethic is second to none, and I’m not just saying that because he’s my son. He’s the hardest worker we’ve had in the program. He’s put in a lot of hours.”
