Colonel Crawford boys nab first sectional golf title in quarter-century, Wynford runner-up

GALION - The last time Colonel Crawford boys advanced to the district tournament in golf, the world was just getting over the Y2K scare.

"I was coach then, too," Nate Hill said. "None of these guys were born yet ... and it was tough for a long time."

The Eagles had just one league win in 2016, went winless in 2017, 2018, 2019 and again in 2022 and 2023, before starting to turn the page last fall.

After Thursday's Division III sectional tournament win, it's safe to say that page has been flipped. Colonel Crawford shot a 329 to tie the program's second-lowest 18-hole score this century and beat rival Wynford by four strokes.

"We talked about having averages to shoot within the day before ... level team golf, not trying to be a hero, and I think every single one of the kids shot in their range," coach Hill said. "Bryant Berry ranges from 78 to 83, and he shoots a 77, Evan Keller shoots 80 and his range was 81 to 85. They all played within themselves, and it's a credit to them listening, taking coaching, and making putts."

Alongside those talented sophomores was classmate Grady Riggle's 85 and junior Colton Hopkins' 87, junior Bryce Durham's 88 the drop.

"This is pretty special, but it's because we have kids 1-through-10 who play a lot of golf, and that's the biggest difference," Hill said. "They're coachable, they play, and they work at it. Every one of these kids works at it and plays all the time all summer, it's not just come out and pick up clubs the day we need to golf. They're grinding all year-round and just a great group of kids."

Hill knew it would require something special to get out of Valley View, one of the most competitive districts in the state year after year.

"Last year was 335, 345, 345, then Wynford shot 346, and we shot 347," he said. "We played a match versus New London, we played Crestview, we played a match with Ridgemont, Wynford ... we probably even played in a tournament with Calvert. We've seen everybody on the course, and that was one of our goals beforehand."

A 333 was one of the best rounds out of a Wynford team comprised entirely of sophomores this season, too.

"That's what all it's all about — survive in advance," Royals coach Michael Powers said. "We knew coming in that it was going to take a good round from us, there were five or six teams that had a good chance to advance to districts. I'm just super proud because we did not start off the best, but hung around all day long and didn't get wrapped up into things we can't control to finish strong."

Clay Rogers led with co-medalist honors firing a 74, Owen Prenger carded an 84, Levi McLaughlin 87, Jaron Vance 88, Drew Stanek a 90.

The Royals had pretty much secured their spot in districts and looked to have done so by a single stroke ahead of New London (334) before Ridgemont shocked the entire course coming in with a matching 333 despite the OHSAA Golf App indicating a score in the mid-340s. Wynford won the tiebreak for second place based on the fifth-man score.

"We were paired up with one of the teams that are very similar to us," Powers said of playing alongside New London. "So we get to see right where they're at the whole time as we're playing our round. When you have at least one team that you know if you can get past them, you have a good chance to make it out, that always helps."

As devastating as it was finding out they missed out on districts as a team by a single stroke, the Wildcats will still have some representation at Stone Ridge next week in senior Brody Sword whose 76 on the day was fourth among individuals, securing him an at-large bid.

"It's all about survive and advance," Sword said. "I left a few out there on the course, but did enough to get through."

One thing that helped him elevate his game on Thursday was playing alongside Rogers.

"It was an honor playing with Clay because we could push each other," Sword said. "If I dropped one, I tried to get one back. And if I went up, I knew he'd try to do the same."

Joining him is Crestview junior Carter Bowman who was also one of the co-medalists along with Ridgemont senior Dawson Morris. The Cougars placed fifth as a team with a 341 and Carter's twin brother Cole missed out on the final qualifying spot — Calvert's Weston Burns (81) — by two strokes.

Shelby, Ontario golfers the lone district qualifiers from Woussickett

At an equally competitive Division II tournament in Sandusky at Woussickett Golf Course, the area representatives put together strong showings but ultimately came up short.

Shelby's Thomas Lenahan fired an 80 to place seventh among individuals and secure the second automatic qualifying spot. The first went to Perkins' Colton Kelley (79) while the third and fourth was decided by a playoff with Ontario senior Jaxson Tinkham, Perkins' Kyle Schaefer, and Galion sophomore Cullen Hart all coming in with 81s.

Tinkham won the first playoff hole to nab the third at-large bid, then Schaefer beat Hart on the second for the final spot in Tuesday's district tournament at Maumee Bay State Park Golf Course.

Clear Fork placed fourth as a team with a 333 led by matching 82 from Bryar Ousley and Clinton Stallard, Landon Ball shot an 83, Xander Cyphers 86, Kaiden Dettmer 89 in what would be these seniors' final round.

Galion was fifth at 334; alongside Hart's 81 was junior Jackson Henry's 82, classmate Parker Tinch's 84, sophomore Christian Hart's 87, and junior Zachary Moneysmith's 87. Shelby also shot a 334 with Lenahan's 80, juniors Grady Schroeder (82), Braden Palm (84), Kayne Cooke (88), Gavin Lamb (92).

Ontario was eighth as a team at 342; Tinkham's 81, sophomores Kolbe Ramion and Miles Doehla an 82 and 88, senior Colton Blevins 91, sophomore Michael Brown 96.

[email protected] | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: OHSAA Boys Golf: Colonel Crawford wins first sectional since 2000