By RICHIE HALL
By one shot, the Carmel boys golf team finally got back in the winner’s circle after 28 years.
The Greyhounds were fighting with defending state champion Center Grove all throughout this week’s IHSAA state finals at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. The ‘Hounds took the lead after Tuesday’s first round, and held off the Trojans in Wednesday’s second round to win the state title.
Carmel scored 601 as a team to Center Grove’s 602. It’s the sixth state championship for the Greyhounds, tying the record with Anderson. But it was also the first one for the ‘Hounds since 1990.
“Man, it feels great,” said Carmel coach Chard Reid. “It was a stressful back nine to say the least, back and forth. These guys just stepped up to the challenge.”
The Greyhounds were staying in front of the Trojans by around four shots for most of the meet, but Center Grove made a move during the final three holes. Everything funneled into a 18th hole showdown with Carmel junior Nick Dentino and the Trojans’ Noah Gillard, the defending individual state champion.
Gillard recovered from hitting a wild fairway shot by hitting his next shot on to the green, after which Dentino got out of the sand to stick the ball four feet from the hole, giving him a chance to save par.
Just to ratchet up the pressure a little more, Gillard rolled in a birdie putt. But Dentino did his job, making his par putt. That clinched the win.
“Once I found out he had a good break and ended up hitting a good wedge shot into the green, I thought, ‘Okay, I need to clutch this out and hit a good couple shots to make a par and win it for our team and that’s what I did in the end,” said Dentino.
“Nick, going into that hole, he knew the situation,” said Reid. “He knew we were up two, but we were going to lose a tiebreaker.”
The coach called Dentino’s sand shot “about as good as it gets.” Reid credited Dentino with staying calm after Gillard’s big birdie, saying that Dentino “stood up there with ice in his veins and buried it. So it was really exciting.”
“To be able to win and win like this is really something special and I’m really excited to be able to celebrate it tonight, tomorrow and the rest of the year,” said Dentino, who finished 14th overall with a Wednesday score of 75 and a two-day score of 149. Dentino was named to the All-State team at the conclusion of the tournament.
Carmel’s low man was sophomore Clay Stirsman, who had an outstanding tournament. Stirsman went under par in the first round with a one-under 71, then shot a solid 75 in the second round. That put him at 146, two-over for the tournament and part of a three-way tie for third place, and also earned him All-State honors.
“I think I put a lot of shots together that I haven’t really had in a long time,” said Stirsman. “I scrambled out there. I didn’t really play well with my irons either day. I just made do with it and just tried to scramble, take bogeys when I was in the hazards instead of trying to make a miraculous par, and I think that really just helped our team. Everyone on the team put in a good effort.”
Reid said that’s one thing that has been made clear to the team: They are a team and they count on each other.
“We had different guys go low each day, and that’s what it’s about,” said Reid. “Different guys stepped up every day and in the post-season and towards the end of May. They’ve really bought into that team mentality, and that’s been the biggest difference this year is, guys are hitting different shots than they would in AJGA or individual tournaments. They’re hitting shots for their teammates, and they’re taking the safe, high-probability shot as opposed to chasing birdies on every single hole.”
Stirsman, Dentino and senior Curtis Robertson all had three birdies in their round, while junior Cole Harris and sophomore Luke Prall both made one.
While Carmel was cleaning up in the team standings, two Hamilton County individuals made some history as well.
Guerin Catholic junior Ty Gingerich was part of the three-way tie for third place, finishing with a two-over par 146. Gingerich, one of the first players of the first tee Wednesday morning, made four birdies in his second round on his way to a one-under par 71 for the second day.
Gingerich’s finish is by far the best at the state meet for any Guerin Catholic golfer and also earned him a place on the All-State team.
“I played pretty solid,” said Gingerich. “I hit a lot of good iron shots. Left a lot out there with the putter. I feel like it could’ve been a day of 66 or 67 pretty easily, but not too bad. I’m pretty satisfied with how I played.”
Westfield senior Andrew Lewis finished his high school career on a high note. Lewis was part of a large tie for eighth place by shooting a four-over par 148. He played solid with five birdies in his Wednesday round, in which he shot a 75, and was named to the All-State team.
But the biggest honor came after the meet, when Lewis received the Fred A. Keesling Mental Attitude Award. The son of John and Chris Lewis, Andrew finished his senior year with a 4.09 grade-point average. He will join his older brother Thomas Lewis at Purdue University next fall.
“It feels awesome to know that I’m getting rewarded for more than just my golf, and for my leadership and how I’ve handled myself as well, because that’s a big thing for me, too,” said Andrew Lewis. “I want to handle myself in the best way I can. So it’s good to be rewarded.”
Hamilton Southeastern finished seventh as a team by shooting 635. Junior Daivic Akala was the Royals’ low man for the tournament with a 155. Akala made two birdies in his second round of 79, while Sam Crousore and Mekheil Garcia both made one.
Noblesville placed 11th as a team with a score of 654. Junior Clay Merchent had a great second day, shooting an even-par 72. That gave him a two-day total of 148, placing him in the eighth-place tie. Merchent earned All-State honors after the meet.
“It feels good,” said Merchent. “Didn’t finish my season off the way I would’ve liked to, but obviously that’s one of your main goals going into the year. It means you’ve played some consistent golf, which is obviously a positive.”
Merchent made three birdies in his second round. All of the other Miller players – juniors Jacob Deakyne and Joe Whallon and seniors Jack Barnes and Kyle Claussen – all made one birdie in the second round.
Team scores: Carmel 295-306=601, Center Grove 299-303=602, Zionsville 304-302=606, Evansville North 325-294=619, Penn 312-314=626, Cathedral 315-316=631, Hamilton Southeastern 315-320=635, Brebeuf Jesuit 316-321=637, Bishop Dwenger 318-327=645, Floyd Central 324-322=646, Noblesville 331-323=654, Castle 328-329-657, Evansville Memorial 335-324=659, Madison 346-335=681, Culver Academies 338-350=688.
Meet Medalist: Logan Ryan (BD) 72-73=145.
Carmel scores: Clay Stirsman 71-75=146, Nick Dentino 74-75=149, Cole Harris 74-76=150, Luke Prall 76-81=157, Curtis Robertson 82-80=162.
Southeastern scores: Daivic Akala 76-79=155, John Cherry 82-80=162, Sam Crousore 80-82=162, Mekheil Garcia 84-79=163, Sam Smith 77-87=164.
Noblesville scores: Clay Merchent 76-72=148, Joe Whallon 84-83=167, Jack Barnes 84-86=170, Kyle Claussen 87-85=172, Jacob Deakyne 80 (second day score).
Guerin Catholic score: Ty Gingerich 75-71=146.
Westfield score: Andrew Lewis 73-75=148.
The Carmel boys golf team won its first state championship in 28 years on Wednesday, holding off defending champion Center Grove by one shot at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. The Greyhounds scored 601 to the Trojans’ 602, and won the program’s sixth state title overall. (Richie Hall)
Westfield’s Andrew Lewis won the Fred A. Keesling Mental Attitude Award at the conclusion of the state finals. Lewis is pictured with Shamrocks coach Josh Bryant (left) and his parents John and Chris Lewis. (Richie Hall)