While only the top four scores are used for a team score, the fifth score on a high school golf team can prove to be vital.
That was the case on Wednesday at Kenton County Golf Course’s Pioneer Course, St. Henry defeating Highlands on a tiebreaker at the Highlands Invitational.
Both teams posted team scores of 293, the Crusaders fifth score a 76, the Bluebirds an 88. The two beat the 17-team field by three strokes, Ryle coming in third place with a 296.
All five of St. Henry’s golfers finished in the 70’s, led by Ben Carter with a 71. Parker Isaacs shot a 72, Will Hammond and Jake Montgomery with 75’s, Will Carter with a 76.
Highlands was led by Hank Shick with a 69, his Bluebird teammates followed with a 73 by Oliver Golden, Nate Surrey with a 74, Alex Race carding a 77 and Abram Kees with an 88.
Ryle’s Paxton McKelvey was the individual medalist, leading the 102-player field with a 66. In the Raiders team score of 296, Veer Patel followed with a 75, Andrew Roach a 76, Hayden Li and Bryson White with 79’s.
Shick tied with Campbell County’s Talen Beane for third as they both posted 69’s. Harrison County’s John Combs finished second with a 67.
TEAM SCORING

- St. Henry — 293
- Highlands — 293
- Ryle — 296
- Rowan County — 297
- Bishop Brossart — 308
- Harrison County — 312
- Covington Catholic — 315
- Highlands “B” — 336
- Villa Madonna — 336
- Campbell County — 337
- Newport Central Catholic — 340
- Beechwood — 343
- Ryle “B” — 351
- Holy Cross — 359
- Bracken County — 362
- Grant County — 394
- Cooper — 399
INDIVIDUAL SCORING (TOP 10)

- Paxton McKelvey, Ryle — 66
- John Combs, Harrison Co. — 67
- Hank Shick, Highlands — 69 (tie)
- Talen Beane, Campbell Co. — 69 (tie)
- Ben Carter, St. Henry — 71 (tie)
- Calen Caskey, Rowan Co. — 71 (tie)
- Parker Isaacs, St. Henry — 72
- Oliver Golden, Highlands — 73 (tie)
- Cole Bricking, Bishop Brossart — 73 (tie)
- Luke Bertsch, Bishop Brossart — 73 (tie)
