Two Patriots make regional

FARMLAND — The rain couldn’t damper the mood, no matter how hard it fell.

Griffin Mann set a goal of advancing in the postseason tournament. Not only did he unlock the achievement, he’s got a teammate going with him.

Mann, a Jay County High School senior, and freshman Caleb DeRome both qualified for regional during the IHSAA boys golf sectional tournament Monday at Hickory Hills Golf Club.

“I feel pretty ecstatic,” Mann said shortly before rain poured during an on-and-off rainy day. “Honestly, I’m not pleased with the way I played today, but I couldn’t be more happier that I made it out.

“A lot of hard work went into this.”

Host Monroe Central shot 307 to win its first sectional championship since 2008. Defending champion Yorktown was the runner-up with 324, and Delta shot 336 for third.

Jay County was fourth with 349.

The top three teams and top three individuals not on advancing teams qualify for regional, set for 8 a.m. Thursday at The Players Club in Muncie.

Mann and DeRome are the first JCHS individuals to advance to regional since Evan Mathias in 2014. (The Patriots qualified as a team in 2017.)

JCHS started its round on the back nine, and Mann and DeRome both made the turn at 7-over-par 42. Mann mostly stayed out of trouble, making two pars and nothing more than a bogey on the other seven holes despite playing the 17th and 18th holes in a downpour.

On the front nine, Mann had to settle for consecutive double bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes. On the 389-yard, par-4 fifth, he had to take a penalty stroke as his second shot went out of bounds to the right of the green.

Later on the par-3 eighth, it appeared as if he was going to have to settle for double bogey after he shanked his second shot and the ball went off to the side instead of toward the cup. The ball landed on fringe, and he chipped in from about 15 feet to save par. He was even on the 18th hole and finished with 83.

“Really, off the tee I didn’t hit the ball well,” he said. “I think I know what I have to do to make some changes. On the greens I thought I had the speed down, but I just wasn’t getting anything to fall. I was burning a lot of edges.

“In between the tees and the greens I was playing all right. I was having good, decent second shots and safe second shots for the most part. Safe chips. Other than a couple double (bogeys) … I didn’t take any big numbers.”

DeRome began his round 2-over par through four holes as he made par on each of the par-3 10th and par-4 13th holes. After settling for double bogey on the 172-yard, par-3 15th, he made par on the par-5 16th and later made the turn with the same score, 42, as Mann.

Following bogeys on the first and second hole, DeRome birdied the 305-yard, par-4 third hole as the Patriots’ only birdie.

He struggled a bit from there, however, making triple bogey on the fifth, seventh and eighth holes. He finished with a round of 87 for the third and final regional qualifying spot. Following the news of his advancement, DeRome was surprised it was enough to move on.

And Mann is happy to have a teammate going to regional with him.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “The kid has so much potential. He’s a great player and I can only see things going upward for him.”

Kyle Sanders shot 89 and Simon Pryor ended with 90 to complete the Patriots’ team score. Brock DeHoff also competed, but his 104 did not factor into the team total.

Monroe Central’s Shawn Roderick was the individual champion with his 1-over 73.

Tyler Walker of Muncie Central shot 81 as the other individual regional qualifier.

“I reached my goal of making it to regional so the goal is go to out and play my game and hopefully shoot a low score,” Mann said. “I just have to relax now. I think I’ll honestly go into regional more relaxed than I did today.”