Extra holes were needed to decide Tuesday’s 7th Region golf title at Boone Links in Florence.
Covington Catholic defeated Ryle in a playoff to secure the Colonels first region title since 2019.
CovCath’s Matt Noe won individual medalist honors with a one-over 73, edging out Ryle’s Hayden Li by a stroke.
Ryle was looking for its third region title in the last four seasons, but they will live to see another day as the top two teams advance to next week’s state sectional at Kenton County’s Willows Course.
CovCath had four score 80 or below as they finished the day with a team total of 310. After Noe’s 73, Joseph Mangine finished tied for seventh with a 78, while Colin White tying for ninth with a 79 and Marcus Diullio tied for 12th with a 80. Carson White was the hero in the playoff, clinching the title with a birdie and finishing the day with an 83.
Ryle’s team score of 310 was led by Li’s 74, followed by Chandler James tying for third with a 75, Thomas Leone tied for 12th with an 80 while Luke Roscoe shot an 81. Jake Roscoe tallied an 83.
The next 10 to qualify for individual play in the sectional tournament not on CovCath or Ryle were Dixie Heights’ Jack Woolwine (75) and Lucas Powers (76). Others qualifying were Cooper’s Jarrett Turner (77), Walton-Verona’s Adam Gutman (78), St. Henry’s Parker Isaacs (79), Beechwood’s Kayden Sautter (79), Simon Kenton’s Cole Burris (80) and Nolan Stone (80), Dixie’s Oliver Nieheus (80) and Walton-Verona’s Jacob Gore (81).
The 7th Region is pitted against the top two teams in Regions 5-8. It’s a stacked tournament considering some of the top teams in the state come out of the 5th and 6th Region. The team tournament field is DeSales, Central Hardin, St. Xavier, CAL, CovCath, Ryle, Highlands and Newport Central Catholic. The top three teams advance to the state tournament in Bowling Green the following week while the 15 next best individuals not on the top three teams also qualify.
PHOTOS: Slideshow provided by Charles Bolton
