SYRACUSE - While the sun didn't shine Tuesday afternoon at South Shore Golf Club, the Warsaw Tigers did.
With victories over Northern Lakes Conference opponents Concord and Wawasee in high school boys golf action, the 13th-ranked Tigers remained undefeated and put themselves in the driver's seat to win the conference championship Saturday.Under gray skies and in drizzle at times, Warsaw shot a four-man team score of 149, while the Concord Minutemen shot 158 and the host Wawasee Warriors finished with a 159.
"It wasn't too bad out there," Warsaw coach Ben Barkey said of the conditions. "I'm just happy we won."
Barkey called South Shore Golf Club "the equalizer." Multiple times during his tenure as Warsaw's coach, Barkey has taken talented teams to South Shore and lost to Wawasee.
Tuesday evening, Barkey, a former Warsaw golfer himself, left Syracuse with a smile on his face.
And now the rest of the NLC must beat the Tigers on their home course, as Warsaw hosts the conference championship Saturday at Stonehenge.
"This course is the equalizer," said Barkey. "In 2005, the year we won state, we came up here and lost to Wawasee. I'm just really happy we won tonight. Now we're in the driver's seat to win conference, and everyone has to play us at Stonehenge."
With the two wins Tuesday, the Tigers improved to 11-0 overall and 6-0 in the NLC, while Concord is now 10-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play and Wawasee fell to 9-5 and 3-2.
"They're deep," Wawasee coach Steve Coverstone said of Warsaw. "They had seven or eight players who are really good. Their top two guys, (Eric) Tandy and (Tyler) Ostrom, are excellent. They're two of the better golfers in the area."
Tandy, a junior, earned medalist honors with an even-par 36, while freshmen Jon Schram and Tim Ahlersmeyer shot 37s, senior Kal Denlinger carded a 39 and Ostrom, a sophomore, finished with a 40.
"It was a team effort," said Barkey. "We played well. I couldn't be more pleased. We play Elkhart Memorial Thursday at Cristiana Creek, and then we get to play for the conference championship Saturday at our place, we're excited about that."
George Adamitis led Wawasee with a 38, while Anthony Gagliano and John Kirkwood shot 39s, Ben Jackson carded a 43, while Derek Zurcher finished with a 45.
"I thought we played reasonably well for the conditions and for the team," said Coverstone. "Derek started off with a triple-bogey and just had an off night. Ben continues to struggle gettiing the ball to go where it is supposed to. A 159 isn't a bad score in that weather, but we are having a hard time getting four quality scores. (Hole) No. 3 killed us, as we were 7-over on that hole with the four guys that counted."
Caleb Partin led Concord with a 38, while Scott Ladehoff shot 39, Alex Happer shot 40, Nate Newcomer cared a 41 and Matt Lower turned in a 42.
Warsaw is in action Thursday at Cristiana Creek against conference foe Elkhart Memorial, while Wawasee plays NLC rivals Goshen and Northridge Thursday at Spring Meadow Farm.
WARSAW 149, CONCORD 158, WAWASEE 159
Warsaw - Eric Tandy 36, Jon Schram 37, Tim Ahlersmeyer 37, Kal Denlinger 39, Tyler Ostrom 40
Concord - Caleb Partin 38, Scott Ladehoff 39, Alex Happer 40, Nate Newcomer 41, Matt Lower 42
Wawasee - George Adamitis 38, Anthony Gagliano 39, John Kirkwood 39, Ben Jackson 43, Derek Zurcher 45
