Tigers overcome poor conditions, edge Triton for 25th title
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Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw scored its 25th sectional championship in boys golf Friday at Stonehenge, though it seemed like Mother Nature was the real winner. Playing in cold, wet, windy and overcast conditions, the seventh-ranked Tigers shot 323 and used a fifth-man tiebreaker to beat defending champion Triton. On paper, Warsaw looked a heavy favorite to win. On the course, however, it came down to Bennet Hollar’s 87, which beat the 100 of Triton’s Lucas Shafer. “If you look at sports, that’s just the way it is,” said Warsaw coach Ben Barkey, whose team lost the sectional title to Triton a year ago on a fifth-man tiebreaker. “Sports are unpredictable, that’s why you have to show up and play. It wouldn’t be as fun if you knew what was going to happen.” The top three teams, as well as the top three individuals not on an advancing team, qualified for Thursday’s regional at Orchard Ridge Country Club in Fort Wayne. “Our goal was to be in the top three and be playing at Orchard Ridge on Thursday,” said Triton coach Jack Carpenter. “The conditions were pretty tough today. For us to shoot a 323 here in these conditions is pretty good.” Culver Military Academy finished third with a 338. The Eagles were in the lead after shooting 155 on the front, two strokes better than Warsaw and four better than Triton, but struggled mightily after making the turn. Plymouth (347) finished fourth, followed by Wawasee (347), Columbia City (361), Tippecanoe Valley (375), Manchester (392), Wabash (394), Northfield (399), Whitko (401), Bremen (402) and Southwood (417). Culver Community had just two individuals take scores, as its other three varsity players were at graduation. Advancing as individuals are Plymouth’s Nate Kolter (76), Culver Community’s Trent Elliott (82) and Plymouth’s John Ruff (83). Ruff had to win a playoff with Wawasee’s Derek Zurcher and Luke Jackson to secure the final transfer position. Medalist honors also came down to a one-hole playoff, as Kolter and Warsaw’s Tyler Ostrom carded the best scores of the day. Ostrom, the defending state champion, won the playoff with a par on No. 18, while Kolter bogyed the hole. “Individually, it was nice to win, but it was more important to me for the team to win,” said the Ball State-bound Ostrom, who double-bogeyed the hole in regulation play. “I played the hole better than I did earlier.” Other scores for the Tigers included Jon Schram’s 77, Tim Ahlersmeyer’s 84 and Jonny Hollar’s 86. “It’s nice to win, but our guys aren’t happy with the way we played today,” said Barkey, whose team shot 18 strokes higher than its 18-hole average. “The weather was definitely a factor. These are the worst conditions at the sectional in the 10 years I’ve been coach. It’s always nice to win, that’s probably the one bright spot today.” Though the calendar said it was June 1, fans and players alike were wearing stocking hats and gloves. Coffee and hot chocolate seemed to be the drinks of choice. Quentyn Carpenter and Chandler Slone led Triton with 77s, while Ryan Rapp and Tanner Shepherd shot 84 and 85, respectively. Carpenter, the defending sectional champion, played in a threesome with Ostrom and Kolter. His beautiful chip for eagle on No. 18 allowed Triton to tie Warsaw, as Ostrom double-bogeyed the hole. Tyler Watson led Manchester with an 85, while Danny Zawlocki carded an 89 for Whitko and Teddy Shepherd paced Valley with a 92.
WARSAW SECTIONAL Stonehenge, par 71 Team scores – Warsaw 323, Triton 323, Culver Military Academy 338, Plymouth 347, Wawasee 347, Columbia City 361, Tippecanoe Valley 375, Manchester 392, Wabash 394, Northfield 399, Whitko 401, Bremen 402, Southwood 417 Medalist – Tyler Ostrom (Warsaw) 76, * won playoff Top individuals – Tyler Ostrom (Warsaw) 76, Nate Kolter (Plymouth) 76, Jon Schram (Warsaw) 77, Quentyn Carpenter (Triton) 77, Chandler Slone (Triton) 77 Advancing individuals – Nate Kolter (Plymouth) 76, Trent Elliott (Culver Comm) 82, John Ruff (Plymouth) 83 Warsaw – Tyler Ostrom 76, Jon Schram 77, Tim Ahlersmeyer 84, Bennett Hollar 87, Jonny Hollar 86 Triton – Quentyn Carpenter 77, Ryan Rapp 84, Tanner Shepherd 85, Lucas Shafer 100, Chandler Slone 77 Manchester – Tyler Watson 85, Aaron Johnson 106, Austin Whitaker 102, Connor Eichenauer 102, Xzavier Whitaker 104 Wawasee – Derek Zurcher 83, Dylan Cousins 100, Tristen Atwood 89, Luke Jackson 83, Mason Germonprez 92 T. Valley – Kevin Summe 94, Teddy Shepherd 92, Tanner Neeley 96, Bryce Zimpleman 93, Ben Shriver 109 Whitko – Josh Busenbark 96, Colton LeTourneau 96, Danny Zawlocki 89, Cole Bechtold 121, Matt Hathaway 120
