Patriot golf defeats Raiders

Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review

All Rights Reserved.

It had been a week since the Patriots played a competitive round of golf.

When they hit the links Tuesday after an impromptu layoff because of weather, they didn’t skip a beat.

The Jay County High School boys golf team continued its recent dominance over Allen County Athletic Conference opponents, defeating the visiting Southern Wells Raiders 166-201 at Portland Golf Club.

“I’m not upset at all,” said JCHS coach Butch Gray, whose team has its final ACAC tilt May 18 against the Bluffton Tigers, who edged the Patriots in the conference tournament last season. “We’re getting some consistency in there. Team play all the way around, that’s what you’ve got to have.”

Speaking of consistency, three Patriot players had identical scores of 41 to share match medalist honors.

They each had their own path to reaching that score.

Collin Haines, a junior playing from the No. 1 spot, bogeyed the par-4 11th hole. He had a chance for birdie on the par-3 13th, but his second shot was just short and he was sitting at 1-over par after four holes.

If not for a bad read on the 15th green and his ball going into the creek on his drive on 16, Haines could have had another sub-40 round. Instead he had to settle for bogeys on both of those holes, as well as 14 and 17, before closing out his round with par for a 6-over-par 41.

“He should be happy,” Gray said. “They get to the point, players do, that they want the perfect game. They want to be in the 30s all the time.

“Sometimes that doesn’t happen. I don’t care what level you’re in, that doesn’t always happen. He is being real steady in the low 40s … we’ve been in the 30s with him some.”

Senior Nick Hayden had a bogey on each of his first four holes, but made par on three of the next four. He closed his round with a bogey on the par-3 18th hole to tie Haines for the No. 2 spot.

“I think my anxiety is getting the best of me,” he said in the clubhouse as the scores trickled in. “I either start badly and finish strong, or start strong and finish badly.”

On Tuesday, it was the former.

“Nick coming down to 41, I’m really happy with that,” Gray said.

Kyler Hudson, another senior, also closed his round out relatively strong with exception for a triple bogey on No. 16. He made par on four of his final five holes, joining Haines and Hayden at 41.

Jay Houck, the fourth and final senior on the team, made par four times and was two strokes behind his teammates. He played from the No. 3 spot, totaling 43 to complete the Patriots’ score.

Matt Franks also competed for Jay County, and he finished with 51.

Despite the downpour of rain last week, the back nine had very little standing water. The greens were damp because of rain earlier in the day, and played slowly as a result. It caused many of the Patriots to leave putts short, especially on the par-3 13th hole.

“It was damp,” Gray said. “None of the bunkers were playable. Otherwise, course was in good shape for everything we’ve had. The guys out here have done a great job.”

Tristan Hanauer and Steven Jones led Southern Wells with matching scores of 46.

Jay County, which was the ACAC round robin champion a year ago, will play the South Adams Starfires on Thursday at Celina Lynx. The course will host the ACAC tournament on May 20.

“Not a lot of trees, lot of bunkers,” Gray said. “If it’s windy it’s going to be a bear because there’s nothing to break wind over there.”



Junior varsity

Just as consistent as their varsity counterparts, Jay County had all six of its players within four strokes of one another in a 220-238 victory.

Joey Hall shot a career-best 54 to earn medalist honors. Hall beat teammates Conner Benter and Tait Longsworth, who had matching scores of 55. Benter and Longsworth each made par once. Ian James was one stroke behind at 56 to complete the team score.

Devin Harris and Elijah Corwin also competed, and they shot 57 and 58 respectively.