All season long, St. Henry and Ryle were the class of the 7th Region in boys golf.
It held to form again on Monday, the two advancing to the first round of the state tournament as the Crusaders claimed the region championship, the Raiders runner-up at Boone Links Golf Course.
It didn’t come without some nerves, however.
St. Henry had to deal with a disqualified player while Covington Catholic was on the heels of Ryle all day long. Even down a man, the Crusaders dominated with a team score of 299, 15 shots clear of the field.
“They’ve prepared the way they’re supposed to prepare. They’ve come up big in big moments,” Crusaders coach Jerod Cahill said. ” The number one word we probably use is grind, and we grind through our rounds, whether you’re playing good or bad. So honestly, I thought today was gonna happen. I was really confident with the boys.”
Ryle’s day was a little off compared to a stout regular season that produced six wins in tournaments. They staved off the CovCath by seven strokes, finishing with a 314 to the Colonels 321.
“You could tell that it was really tight. We finished really strong,” Raiders coach Mark McKelvey said. “Our guys stayed positive with their attitudes and mindsets and really were able to finish strong.”
The two will now head to the first round of the state tournament at Shelbyville Country Club on Sept. 30, the top two teams in Regions 5-8 advancing.
On top of St. Henry’s regional title, Crusaders’ Ben Carter took home individual medalist honors, the lone player in the 69-man field at even par with a 72.
Carter fought off a double bogey on No. 5 to battle back with birdies on No. 8 and 9 to finish the front nine one-over. A bogey at No. 11 put him two-over, but collected himself from there to birdie No. 14 and No. 16, the birdie on 16 being the eventual critical hole to win the tourney.
“I lost by one last year, kind of felt like for some other reasons that I should have won that one,” Carter said. “I had a lot of motivation.”
Carter’s three teammates were right behind him as they all placed in the top six. His brother Will Carter finished third with a 74, Will Hammond was fifth with a 76 and Jake Montgomery was sixth with a 77.
“Strong core one through five, one through six really,” Cahill said. “Led by three seniors, very experienced team, very prepared, very coachable and overall good kids.”
Ryle had all five of their golfers in the top 16, led by Paxton McKelvey with a three-over 75. Andrew Roach followed with a 79 and in a tie for eighth, Jake Roscoe and Thomas Leone finished tied in 10th with 80’s while Hayden Li was 16th with an 81.
“No one had their A-plus game, but guys played really solid, Paxton had one bad hole and that happens. Everyone else really kind of grinded the way through their round,” McKelvey said.
Individual runner-up went to Covington Catholic’s Joseph Mangine with a one-over 73. Mangine was at even-par with three birdies and three bogeys on the day, but a bogey on the pivotal No. 16 put him one off the pace.
The first round state tournament setup allows the top two teams from each region and the next 10 best individuals in their respective region to advance. It makes for eight teams and 40 individuals not on those teams in the tournament field.
After Mangine qualified with ease, it was Walton-Verona’s Jacob Cottrell (78), Boone County’s Trenton Wilson (79), Dixie Heights’ Jack Woolwine (80), Scott’s Chase O’Keefe (80), Conner’s Max Brunkel (80), Conner’s Drake Brittingham (80), Dixie Heights’ Kyle Flynn (82), Walton-Verona’s Jacob Vonhandorf (82) and Covington Catholic’s Sammy Klaene (82) to advance.
Flynn, Vonhandorf and Klaene survived a five-man playoff for the final three qualifying spots over Villa Madonna’s Tyler Brandstetter and Boone County’s Trenton Mersch, who both finished with 82’s and will be alternate’s for next week’s tournament.
The girls 7th Region tournament will be Tuesday at Kenton County Golf Course Pioneer Course.
TEAM SCORING (*TOP TWO QUALIFY FOR STATE 1ST ROUND)
*St. Henry — 299
*Ryle — 314
Covington Catholic — 321
Walton-Verona — 328
Conner — 332
Simon Kenton — 339
Boone County — 342
Dixie Heights — 343
Scott — 350
Beechwood — 351
Cooper — 364
Villa Madonna — 364
Holy Cross — 384
INDIVIDUAL SCORING (*TOP 10 NOT ON ST. HENRY AND RYLE QUALIFY FOR STATE 1ST ROUND)
Par 72
Ben Carter, St. Henry — 72 (Individual medalist)
*Joseph Mangine, Covington Catholic — 73
Will Carter, St. Henry — 74
Paxton McKelvey, Ryle — 75
Will Hammond, St. Henry — 76
Jake Montgomery, St. Henry — 77
*Jacob Cottrell, Walton-Verona — 78
Andrew Roach, Ryle — 79
*Trenton Wilson, Boone County — 79
*Jack Woolwine, Dixie Heights — 80
*Chase O’Keefe, Scott — 80
Jake Roscoe, Ryle — 80
Thomas Leone, Ryle — 80
*Max Brunkel, Conner — 80
*Drake Brittingham, Conner — 80
Hayden Li, Ryle — 81
*Kyle Flynn, Dixie Heights — 82
*Gavin Vonhandorf, Walton-Verona — 82
*Sammy Klaene, Covington Catholic — 82
Tyler Brandstetter, Villa Madonna — 82 (1st Alternate)
Trenton Mersch, Boone County — 82 (2nd Alternate)