July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Gray going to regional (06/03/08)
JCHS boys golf
Gray going to regional (06/03/08)
By By RAY COONEY-
FARMLAND - Adam Gray will play Friday in the regional tournament. He very nearly had a lot of Patriot company.
Gray shot a 5-over-par 75 Monday at the sectional tournament hosted by Monroe Central at Hickory Hills Golf Club, leading the Jay County High School boys golf team to a fourth-place finish. The Patriots finished at 329, just four strokes behind third-place Yorktown in the 13-team field.
The top three teams earn regional berths, along with the top three individuals not on qualifying teams.
"We got fourth over here and shoot a 329, which is our best of the year by three shots. I was really happy with the overall as a team," said JCHS coach Butch Gray, whose team had finished eighth each of the last two seasons at the Huntington North sectional. "I'm happy for all the kids, because from where we started at day one to where we are now they have showed steady improvement all the way through."
Monroe Central, led by medalist Shane Ruble with a 68, shot 308 to win by 11 strokes over Delta, which got a 69 from Chase Wright. Yorktown picked up the final qualifying spot, and Cowan was three strokes behind Jay County in fifth place.
Taylor Jenkinson (74) of Union City, Gray and Eric Hershman (77) of Cowan advanced individually.
"It's about time," said Adam Gray, Butch's son, who shot 79 last season at LaFontaine Golf Course and fell short of a regional berth. "I wanted to do it my freshman and sophomore years. I knew coming here this course suited me a little better than (LaFontaine) did."
Gray proved as much as he opened his round on the back nine at Hickory Hills by parring every hole.
The most impressive effort during the run came on the 503-yard, par-5 16th hole when his tee shot went well to the right. His second shot got caught up in some trees, leaving him still well to the right and hounded by trees next to a creek that runs along the left side of the fairway.
But then Gray came up with the big swing he needed, knocking the ball out of the rough, splitting a pair of bunkers guarding the front of the green and rolling it to within about seven feet. His birdie attempt went just to the left, but he tapped in for par and went on to par the 163-yard, par-3 17th and the 570-yard, par-5 18th to finish the back nine even.
He parred the first and second holes before hitting some trouble with a double bogey on the third. He bounced back with his lone birdie of the day on the 321-yard, par-4 fourth hole and parred two of the final five holes to finish at 75.
"I played really solid on the front," said Adam Gray. "Everything went well ... On the back, I guess my wedges just kind of left me ... It got kind of ugly out there. But I got up and down on nine for the 75. That was pretty big."
The last Patriot to qualify for the regional was Adam Foster in 2005.
Foster, who was watching the action Monday, was also a part of the last JCHS squad to reach the regional as a team in 2003.
"I'm extremely proud," said Butch Gray. "He's earned this.
"I think it was neat seeing Adam Foster here watching him. That group of kids kind of took him under their wing when he was in junior high. They've really been supportive of him."
Chase Wellman, a first year varsity player, fell just three strokes of qualifying as an individual as well as he posted the No. 2 score for the Patriots with an 80.
Wellman was the only Patriot with multiple birdies on the day as he played 1-under on both the 18th hole and the 305-yard, par-4 third. He had his best run with three consecutive pars on the 13th through 15th holes and played the front nine at just 4-over-par for his career best round.
"It was a career round (for Chase Wellman)," said Butch Gray. "He did a great job."
Jonathan Fennig eagled the 18th hole as he finished his career with an 85, and Adam Horn had one birdie as he rounded out the team score with an 89. Justen Moser shot 94.
Gray will play in the regional tournament Friday at The Players Club in Yorktown beginning at 8 a.m. The top three teams and top three individuals not on qualifying teams will move on to the state finals.
"I'd like to move on, but just shooting a good score would be good enough," said Adam Gray. "I just want to shoot something good for me and the rest will take care of itself."
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Gray shot a 5-over-par 75 Monday at the sectional tournament hosted by Monroe Central at Hickory Hills Golf Club, leading the Jay County High School boys golf team to a fourth-place finish. The Patriots finished at 329, just four strokes behind third-place Yorktown in the 13-team field.
The top three teams earn regional berths, along with the top three individuals not on qualifying teams.
"We got fourth over here and shoot a 329, which is our best of the year by three shots. I was really happy with the overall as a team," said JCHS coach Butch Gray, whose team had finished eighth each of the last two seasons at the Huntington North sectional. "I'm happy for all the kids, because from where we started at day one to where we are now they have showed steady improvement all the way through."
Monroe Central, led by medalist Shane Ruble with a 68, shot 308 to win by 11 strokes over Delta, which got a 69 from Chase Wright. Yorktown picked up the final qualifying spot, and Cowan was three strokes behind Jay County in fifth place.
Taylor Jenkinson (74) of Union City, Gray and Eric Hershman (77) of Cowan advanced individually.
"It's about time," said Adam Gray, Butch's son, who shot 79 last season at LaFontaine Golf Course and fell short of a regional berth. "I wanted to do it my freshman and sophomore years. I knew coming here this course suited me a little better than (LaFontaine) did."
Gray proved as much as he opened his round on the back nine at Hickory Hills by parring every hole.
The most impressive effort during the run came on the 503-yard, par-5 16th hole when his tee shot went well to the right. His second shot got caught up in some trees, leaving him still well to the right and hounded by trees next to a creek that runs along the left side of the fairway.
But then Gray came up with the big swing he needed, knocking the ball out of the rough, splitting a pair of bunkers guarding the front of the green and rolling it to within about seven feet. His birdie attempt went just to the left, but he tapped in for par and went on to par the 163-yard, par-3 17th and the 570-yard, par-5 18th to finish the back nine even.
He parred the first and second holes before hitting some trouble with a double bogey on the third. He bounced back with his lone birdie of the day on the 321-yard, par-4 fourth hole and parred two of the final five holes to finish at 75.
"I played really solid on the front," said Adam Gray. "Everything went well ... On the back, I guess my wedges just kind of left me ... It got kind of ugly out there. But I got up and down on nine for the 75. That was pretty big."
The last Patriot to qualify for the regional was Adam Foster in 2005.
Foster, who was watching the action Monday, was also a part of the last JCHS squad to reach the regional as a team in 2003.
"I'm extremely proud," said Butch Gray. "He's earned this.
"I think it was neat seeing Adam Foster here watching him. That group of kids kind of took him under their wing when he was in junior high. They've really been supportive of him."
Chase Wellman, a first year varsity player, fell just three strokes of qualifying as an individual as well as he posted the No. 2 score for the Patriots with an 80.
Wellman was the only Patriot with multiple birdies on the day as he played 1-under on both the 18th hole and the 305-yard, par-4 third. He had his best run with three consecutive pars on the 13th through 15th holes and played the front nine at just 4-over-par for his career best round.
"It was a career round (for Chase Wellman)," said Butch Gray. "He did a great job."
Jonathan Fennig eagled the 18th hole as he finished his career with an 85, and Adam Horn had one birdie as he rounded out the team score with an 89. Justen Moser shot 94.
Gray will play in the regional tournament Friday at The Players Club in Yorktown beginning at 8 a.m. The top three teams and top three individuals not on qualifying teams will move on to the state finals.
"I'd like to move on, but just shooting a good score would be good enough," said Adam Gray. "I just want to shoot something good for me and the rest will take care of itself."
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