Season ends at sectional

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FARMLAND — At the beginning of the season, Collin Haines set high expectations for himself.

He had signed to play golf in college, and wanted to finish his high school career among the best in the state.

As one of the first groups to report, Haines had to wait to see if he’d move on.

He watched as his chances of advancing as an individual slipped away.

Haines and the Jay County High School boys golf team had their season come to a close Monday in the sectional tournament at Hickory Hills Golf Club.

“I didn’t really do anything horribly,” said Haines, who led the Patriots with an 85 and was two strokes shy of a regional berth.

The top three teams advance to regional, and the top three individuals not on qualifying teams earn regional berths.

“I just had a couple bad holes,” said Haines, who will play collegiately for IU South Bend. “I had a couple bad tee shots. I wasn’t very consistent with my irons. I putted decently. I made some clutch par putts but there was a few holes in there … I had three (double bogeys) and a tripled the last hole.

“That was where most all of it came from. Obviously I’m disappointed but there’s not much I can do about it.”

Muncie Central won the team title with a score of 309. Yorktown was the runner-up with 331, and host Monroe Central totaled 342 for third. Delta, the defending sectional champion, was fourth.

Jay County totaled 414 for 10th out of 11 teams.

“It’s been a learning year for a bunch of kids that got thrown into varsity golf,” said JCHS coach Butch Gray, whose team only had one player — Haines — with varsity experience entering the season. “Proud of Collin with his leadership all year.”

Haines birdied his first hole, and went par, bogey, par, bogey over his next four. His first double bogey was on the par-4 sixth hole and he made the turn at 5-over par.

He had to settle for double bogey on the 10th and 13th holes before rattling off par on three consecutive holes.

“I had really high expectations,” he said. “I worked really hard this year. I felt really good coming in. I had been playing really well this week. I felt good for today but it just wasn’t my day.

“There’s not really anything I can do about it. I’m not going to get down on myself.”

Delta teammates Tyler Jobe (80) and Brady Hunt (83), as well as Wapahani’s Nick Jackson (83) earned the three individual regional berths.

Griffin Mann, a freshman, capped his first varsity season with a career-best 93. He shot four strokes better on the back nine, including making par on three of his last six holes.

On the 155-yard, par-3 15th hole, his 8-foot chip for birdie hit the pin and rolled 4 feet away from the hole and he settled for par.

“Being a freshman and having to play No. 2, it’s a tough position to be in because we play against some good teams,” said Gray, whose senior-studded team was second at sectional last year.

Devin Harris was third on the team with 107, including a birdie on the par-4 14th. Joey Hall shot 129 to complete the Patriots’ team score.

Tait Longsworth also competed, but his 143 did not factor into Jay County’s total.

“It’s something they can build on,” Gray said of the youth of the team. “Hopefully they work hard during the summer. Happy with them but it’s always sad to see a season end.”