FRANKLIN - Triton turned in a school-record score for 18 holes, while four of Warsaw's five golfers turned in scores better than their season average.
Despite their successes at Legends of Indiana in Franklin Tuesday, neither the eighth-ranked Warsaw Tigers or the Triton Trojans, both of whom sliced their way through the regular season with undefeated records, advanced to today's second round of the 74th annual state finals.
Warsaw shot a four-person score of 299 and missed the cut by two strokes, while Triton carded a 303.
"We came up just a bit short," said Warsaw coach Ben Barkey, who has guided the Tigers to the state finals five times in his eight-year tenure. "We had four guys shoot better than their 18-hole average, and the fifth guy was only one above his average. We didn't play that bad. When every thing settles down, being 11th in the state isn't so bad. We're not excited about it, we wanted to advance to the second day, but we're not upset about being 11th in the state."
The top nine teams, as well as any team within 12 strokes of the leader, advanced to today's second round.
First round action was delayed nearly two-and-a-half hours because of wet course conditions, and the par-5 No. 15 was under water and replaced with a par-3 hole, dropping the 18-hole par from 72 to 70, but when the sun came out, the scores were as scorching as the temperatures.
Brebeuf shot a 4-under par 276 to take the lead after 18 holes, followed in the top five by Evansville North (284), Hamilton Southeastern (284), Carmel (284) and Floyd Central (286).
Other teams advancing to the second round were Avon (291), Evansville Harrison (295), Martinsville (297) and Valparaiso (297).
"We struggled with our fourth and fifth scores," said Triton coach Jack Carpenter, whose team was making the first state finals appearance in program history. "We're usually in the high 70s, but we got an 81 and an 85 today, and that hurt. Against competition like this, you can't have high scores like that."
Freshman Quentyn Carpenter led Triton with a 71, while junior Taran Kennedy shot a 73, junior Griffyn Carpenter carded a 78, freshman Ryan Rapp finished with an 81 and sophomore Chandler Slone shot an 85.
The top nine individuals not on an advancing team, as well as any individual within four strokes of the leader, advanced to today's second round.
Quentyn Carpenter is the only player from Triton or Warsaw that advanced. He was scheduled to tee off today at 8 a.m.
"He had four birdies in a row at one point," Jack Carpenter said of his son, who birdied holes 4, 5, 6 and 7 and just missed a birdie on No. 8. "He held it together. He's been one of our strengths all year, and he proved that today."
While the Tigers missed the cut as a team by two strokes, Warsaw sophomore Tyler Ostrom carded a 72 and missed advancing as an individual by one stroke.
"That's tough for Tyler," said Barkey. "He's done an outstanding job for us all season, and has played really well in the postseason. My heart goes out to him, he's worked so hard. The good thing about him, and all the kids on this team, is he'll be right back at it and will find a way to get it done. All these kids work hard, and they're great kids."
Ostrom dominated the sectional field at Stonehenge and won medalist honors with a six-stroke cushion after shooting a 2-under par 69.
At the regional at Orchard Ridge Country Club in Fort Wayne, Ostrom shot a 72 and tied for the lead but lost medalist honors in a playoff situation.
In the state finals, Ostrom was even after the first nine. He finished his round with 11 pars, three birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey.
Also for Warsaw, junior Eric Tandy shot 74, freshmen Tim Ahlersmeyer and Jon Schram shot 76 and 77, respectively, and sophomore Bennett Hollar carded a 77.
"We were close to getting to the second round of the state finals, which is our goal every year," said Barkey. "We could talk all day about where we could have made up two strokes, but we could also probably find two strokes where things went our way. It is what it is, and I know these kids will be right back at it, working hard and getting ready for next season."
Carmel senior Connor O'Neal carded a 5-under par 65 to take the lead after 18 holes. O'Neal's stellar round included eight birdies and three bogeys.
A total of 13 players were under par during Tuesday's round.
Hamilton Southeastern senior Wesley Bowman and Evansville North senior David Mills finished the first round tied for second at 4-under.
Homestead junior John Finley, Brebeuf senior Chris Goodyear, Avon junior Patrick Rodgers and Evansville Harrison sophomore Sean Stone all shot 3-under.
Goodyear, the son of former IndyCar driver Scott Goodyear - who walked the course with his son - was the buzz the majority of the day.
Goodyear was 4-under after nine holes and 5-under after 15 holes, but bogeyed the par-3 No. 16 and the par-4 No. 17.
BREBEUF 276, EVANSVILLE NORTH 284, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 284, CARMEL 284, FLOYD CENTRAL 286, AVON 291, EVANSVILLE HARRISON 295, MARTINSVILLE 297, VALPARAISO 297, NOBLESVILLE 298, WARSAW299, PROVIDENCE 299, JASPER 299, BISHOP DWENGER 300, PENN 303, TRITON 303, LAFAYETTE HARRISON 304, LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON 308, TIPTON 310, COLUMBUS NORTH 310, SB ST. JOE'S 311
(74th Annual IHSAA State Finals, Legends of Indiana G.C., Par 70)
Individual leaders (players under par) - Connor O'Neal (Carmel) 65, Wesley Bowman (Hamilton Southeastern) 66, David Mills (Evansville North) 66, John Finley (Homestead) 67, Chris Goodyear (Brebeuf) 67, Patrick Rodgers (Avon) 67, Sean Stone (Evansville Harrison) 67, Chase Wagner (Bedford North Lawrence) 68, Max Bolling (Evansville North) 69, Jacob Gould (Brebeuf) 69, Nick Grubnich (Crown Point) 69, Eric Ong (Brebeuf) 69, Jacob Sturgeon (Floyd Central) 69
Warsaw - Tyler Ostrom 72, Eric Tandy 74, Jon Schram 77, Tim Ahlersmeyer 76, Bennett Hollar 77
