Aker leads Patriots to first win of year

Erin Aker snuck her score into the lower 50s twice last season, but the Patriots couldn’t overcome a pair of strong teams.

This time, Aker’s score made all the difference.

The Jay County High School girls golf team picked up its first win on Thursday at Portland Golf Club as Aker shot one stroke over her career best to push the Patriots past Woodlan 224-250.

While Jay County (1-2, 1-1 Allen County Athletic Conference) took down the Warriors, it fell to Norwell in the same match 191-224.

Aker shot a 52 with pars on the third, sixth and eighth holes and had a bogey on the fourth. Aker beat all of Woodlan’s golfers, but Norwell’s Ellie Gatton earned match medalist with a 40.

Alex Ridenour carded the second-best score for JCHS at 56. She had two bogeys in her round.

Elizabeth Brunswick finished one stroke behind with a 57, while Crystal Swartzentruber and Reny Lingo filled out the team score as each shot a 59.

Sophia Raegan shot a 67 that didn’t impact the outcome.

Fort falls

CELINA, Ohio — The Fort Recovery boys golf team lost its first match of the season to the Parkway Panthers by just one stroke on Thursday at Celina Lynx Golf Course 177-178.

Reece LeFevre earned match medalist by shooting a 42. He made four pars and four bogeys.

Luke Fortkamp followed with a 43, matching Parkway’s Eli Schumm and Rylan Lyons. Fortkamp also had four pars and four bogeys.

Garrett Diller carded the third-best score at 45, a new career best, while Andrew Rehmart rounded out the final score for the Indians (4-1, 2-1 Midwest Athletic Conference) with a 50.

Caleb Smith shot a 50 and Will Westgerdes had a round of 58, neither of which impacted the final score.