Clay Merchent will try to give Noblesville its second Boys State Junior Championship win in two years this morning.
Merchent made it to the semi-finals of the annual event, which is taking place this week at Purgatory Golf Club in Noblesville, by winning two matches on Friday. First, the Noblesville junior-to-be defeated Evansville’s Eric Brinker 5 & 4 in his Round of 16 match. After that, Merchent came from behind to win his quarter-final over Fort Wayne’s Logan Ryan 1 Up.
Merchent, the third seed, will take on the second seed, Greenwood’s Ethan Shepherd in his semi-final match. Tee time is 8:08 a.m., right after the other two semi-finalists tee off. Valparaiso’s Mitchell Davis and Williamsport’s Peyton Snoeberger will play the other semi-final, starting at 8 a.m.
Davis upset the top seed, Carmel’s Jeff Doty, in the quarter-finals 3 & 2. Doty had earlier won his Round of 16 match by beating Fort Wayne’s Ashby Drummond 6 & 5.
Meanwhile, Noblesville’s Jacob Deakyne also competed in the Round of 16 Friday, falling to Fort Wayne’s Cameron Cook 3 & 2. Cook then fell to Shepherd in the quarter-finals 2 & 1 to set up the semi-final with Merchent.
The last Noblesville golfer to win Boys State Juniors Championship is Josh Keating, who was victorious in the 2015 edition of the event. The Juniors started in 1924 and has taken place every year since, except for two (1931 and 1943).
Noblesville’s Clay Merchent reached the semi-finals of the Boys State Junior Championship at Purgatory Golf Club on Friday. Merchent won two matches and plays Greenwood’s Ethan Shepherd this morning in his semi-final match. (Richie Hall)