Millers, Golden Eagles win sectional crowns

HSE’s Upchurch claims medalist honors with playoff victory

 

By RICHIE HALL

sports@readthereporter.com

NOBLESVILLE – The difference between first and second place at the Noblesville boys golf sectional was literally close as it could get.

The Millers hosted the sectional Monday at Fox Prairie, where they finished the tournament tied with Hamilton Southeastern in the team score. Both schools totaled 296. It came down to the fifth-man score, and by one stroke (80-81), Noblesville had the edge.

As a result, the Millers defended its sectional title and claimed its 20^th in program history. The Royals had to settle for second, but did have the individual champion. Mattingly Upchurch beat Pendleton Heights’ Hayden Fox in a playoff to win medalist honors.

To continue to underscore how close the meet was, the Arabians finished third behind Noblesville and Southeastern with a score of 297. All three teams advance to Thursday’s Yorktown regional at The Players Club.

“There’s no question, everyone matters, every shot matters,” said Millers coach Gary Deakyne. “We preach it all the time and they understand it and it’s a great thing.”

Deakyne said his golfers “played pretty well. The golf course conditions were very difficult today and they played well. They had ups, they had downs, but in the end, they made it through and we got a ‘W,’ which is what we were looking for.

Jackson Mahan was Noblesville’s low man with a 72, which tied him for third place individually. Tyler Marucci scored 73, tying for fifth individually, and Dustin Turpin carded 75. JT Kelley added 76, while Luke Decker scored 80.

Upchurch understood about ups and downs in his round, which he finished with a one under par 70.

“It was an up-and-down round,” said Upchurch. “Started with a birdie and then made two bogeys, so I was one or two over through a couple holes, so it was a rough start.” But he soon bounced back to finish the front nine, and “then the back nine was pretty steady,” he said.

Dane Starnes and Zach Kinzer both scored 74s, Brody Colburn added 78 and Blake Babb scored 81.

Fishers placed fourth as a team with 303 but advanced two golfers to the regional as individuals: Evan Back led the Tigers with 73, tying for fifth individually, while Kaiden Sullivan scored 75.

Tommy Klinker scored 77 for the Tigers, followed by Porter Bell with 78 and Cam Young with 82.

Tipton was fifth as a team with 323, while Hamilton Heights scored 324 to place sixth. Kole Kirtley led the Huskies with 79. Justin Overton finished with 80 and Drew Woodruff scored 81. Bryce Hutcherson added 84 and Colton Zebrauskas scored 95.

Golden Eagles triumph at Ulen

Guerin Catholic won a tight sectional at Ulen County Club in Lebanon Monday.

The Golden Eagles scored 284, just ahead of runner-up Carmel’s 287 and sectional host Westfield’s third-place total of 289. All three teams advance to the Harrison regional, which is set for Friday at Coyote Crossing.

Eli Wessel led Guerin Catholic with a two-under par score of 68, tying for second individually. Zionsville’s Max Steiner was the medalist, scoring a three-under 67.

Freshman Myles Ray carded 71, followed by Andrew Williamson with 72 and Brady Wagner’s 73. Cooper Howard scored 79. The Golden Eagles claimed their second sectional title in program history.

The Greyhounds’ Noah Johnson scored 68, also tying for second place individually. Alex Gardner added 71, with Patrick Wolf and Ben Wilson scoring 74. Preston Roberts finished with 77.

The Shamrocks’ low man was Hudson Kutchma, who scored 70 to take fourth individually. Keaton Knott scored 71; Knott, Ray and Gardner all tied for fifth place. Brayden Worthington scored 73, while Ryan Cesare and Mitchell Keene both totaled 75.

Zionsville was fourth with 298, followed by Lebanon in fifth place with 323.

University took sixth as a team by scoring 352. Trailblazers scores were Emmett White 81, Tyler Davis 84, Nicholas Quinto 90, Kedrick Labrosky 97 and Aaron Cahn 97.

Sheridan scored 410. Blackhawks scores were Cooper Garner 96, Rylan Garner 97, Ethan Kissling 99, Desh Donathen 118 and Jacob Groce 122.