By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
CARMEL – After the first day of the IHSAA boys golf state finals, there isn’t much separating the top teams.
The tournament began Tuesday at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel with perfect weather and rolled through the day with teams moving all around the leaderboard in what has become a very close competition. At the end of the first day, Zionsville was in front with a score of 304.
Two-time defending state champion Guerin Catholic was tied with Westfield, the runner-up the past two years, for second place with 307, three strokes back from the leading Eagles. Noblesville and Evansville North are tied for fourth at 308, four back from the top spot.
Leo is five strokes back from the lead with 309, then Hamilton Southeastern and Center Grove are tied for seventh with 310 – six back from the lead. In other words, it will be a scramble to the finish when the second round begins this morning.
“Day one of the state finals is always tough,” said Shamrocks coach Josh Bryant. “The greens were a hair faster than we are all used to playing Prairie View. They are perfect. It takes a little bit of adjusting. You just have to drive the ball well at Prairie View with the heather grown up.”
The Golden Eagles are going for an unprecedented third consecutive state championship. Leo Wessel led Guerin Catholic with 74, followed by Owen Nielsen’s score of 75. Nielsen made two birdies in his round. Will Parenteau drained three birdies during his round of 77 and Eli Wessel had one birdie.
“It was a tough day,” said GC coach Mark Mathews. While the temperature was pleasant and the sky full of sunshine, the wind picked up during the day, which affected the golfers during their last nine holes.
“My guys are disappointed in themselves, but any time you don’t play the way you want to play, you’re going to be disappointed in yourself. We just need to have a good dinner, get a good attitude this evening and try to do it again.”
Westfield’s Jake Cesare finished the day in a three-way tie for second place, carding a two under par 70.
“Jake had a great round,” said Bryant. “His ball striking on the front nine was great. Had nine pars on the front. He had four birdies on the back and he was able to attack a couple pins, both par fives. He did his job.”
Will Harvey had one birdie during his round of 77, while Ryan Cesare drained two birdies before finishing with a 79. Brayden Worthington made two birdies and Hudson Kutchma had one.
The Millers had two players score 75: Brady Mangin and Tyler Marucci. Mangin made four birdies and Marucci had two. Lance Decker and Drew Werkley both finished with 79s; Decker put in three birdies and Werkley drained one.
“Our kids played really well today,” said Noblesville coach Gary Deakyne. He said one of the good things about the Millers is “we’ve got a lot of depth, and the other guys picked it up. And man, that’s the important thing.
“We didn’t finish as well as we’d like to, but that’s why it’s a two-day tournament. We’ll come back tomorrow and see what we can do. I think we should be within striking distance.”
Nate Benson led the Royals with a 75, making two birdies. Kai Warner’s 77 also included two birdies, while Mattingly Upchurch put in three birdies while scoring a 78. Dane Starnes had two birdies and Jordan Huxford had one.
“Of all the state finals that I’ve been in, it was honestly a very weird round,” said Southeastern coach David Young. “Not only for us. The course played a little bit differently then what we were expecting it to.
“We’re not too far out of it, but everybody’s clumped up there, so we’re just going to have to really show up pretty well tomorrow and do the best job that we can.”
Carmel’s Ethan Hoagland finished with a 78, making one birdie.
The second round of the state finals begins at 8 a.m. today. All Hamilton County players will start off the first tee: Hamilton Southeastern goes off between 8:10 and 8:50 a.m., Noblesville starts between 9 and 9:40 a.m. and Westfield and Guerin Catholic tee off between 9:40 and 10:20 a.m. Hoagland will start at 9 a.m.
Team scores: Zionsville 304, Guerin Catholic 307, Westfield 307, Evansville North 308, Noblesville 308, Leo 309, Center Grove 310, Hamilton Southeastern 310, Homestead 315, Bloomington South 317, Chesterton 324, Trinity School at Greenlawn 325, Warsaw 325, Floyd Central 331, Cathedral 332, Valparaiso 332, Castle 342, Madison 352.
Leader: Brayden Miller (Fairfield) 68.
Guerin Catholic scores: Leo Wessel 74, Owen Nielsen 75, Will Parenteau 77, Eli Wessel 81, Gabe Berglund 95.
Westfield scores: Jake Cesare 70, Will Harvey 77, Ryan Cesare 79, Hudson Kutchma 81, Brayden Worthington 83.
Noblesville scores: Brady Mangin 75, Tyler Marucci 75, Lance Decker 79, Drew Werkley 79, Alex Peck 84.
Southeastern scores: Nate Benson 75, Kai Warner 77, Mattingly Upchurch 78, Dane Starnes 80, Jordan Huxford 89.
Carmel score: Ethan Hoagland 78.
Reporter photos by Julie Brown