Southeastern’s Upchurch & Warner lead way for team at Noblesville sectional
THE REPORTER
The “old” Royals on the Hamilton Southeastern boys golf team are leaving a legacy, the young Royals are making their mark, and it’s all coming together to bring success for Southeastern.
The No. 3-ranked Royals triumphed at the Noblesville sectional, which took place Monday at Harbour Trees. Southeastern won its first sectional since 2015 (and fifth overall) with a strong team score of 292. The host and No. 14 Millers finished second with a 304, while Tipton placed third with a 316. All three teams will advance to the Muncie Central regional Thursday at the Players Club.
Two Southeastern youngsters led the way for their team at the sectional. Freshman Mattingly Upchurch and sophomore Kai Warner both carded 72s, which made them part of a three-way tie for second place individually. Tipton’s Maverick Conaway scored a one-under par 70 for medalist honors.
The veteran players were also consistent as well, with senior Cole Starnes scoring a 73, placing him fifth individually and giving the Royals three of the top five individuals. Junior Nate Benson adding a 75 and senior Lane Zedrick scoring an 81.
Royals coach David Young uses the word “transference” when it comes to the senior class and the legacy they are passing along to the younger golfers on the team.
“They’ve heard me say it a lot,” said Young. “It doesn’t matter what you can do. It also matters what you can leave behind. Transference is our graduating senior class. What can you leave behind in the younger players? So that’s a big focus of our team very simply is, what is it about work ethic, about how we approach invites, about how can we take all of this knowledge and experience that you have, so that it makes everybody behind you even that much better and stronger.”
Upchurch and Warner both made five birdies for their rounds, with Starnes and Benson both draining four and Zedrick making one.
Noblesville had a solid day on the course with a 304. The Millers were led by Will Barnes, who scored a 72 to earn a spot in the three-way tie for second. Alex Peck added a 74, with Cooper Claussen and Brady Mangin both adding 79s. Drew Decker scored 80. Peck and Barnes both drained three birdies, Mangin made two, and Claussen and Decker both had one.
“Will Barnes played great today,” said Noblesville coach Gary Deakyne. “And Alex Peck brought it back after struggling a little bit to start. So we’re really happy with they way everybody played today and happy to be going into Thursday.”
Noblesville placed second at the sectional with a 304 and qualified for the regional at the Players Club. (Richie Hall)
Fishers finished fourth as a team with a 317, just one stroke shy from third place. The Tigers will have an individual at regional: Sam Keithley scored a 77, making one of the three golfers not on an advancing team to move on.
Keithley had one birdie in his round. Jonathan Ash made two birdies, while Tommy Klinker, Ryan Stewart and Jonathan Ash all had one.
Hamilton Heights placed sixth with a team score of 346. Nathan Cox was the Huskies’ low man with a 79; he made one birdie. Ethan Millsaps also drained one birdie.
AT HARBOUR TREES
Team scores: Hamilton Southeastern 292, Noblesville 304, Tipton 316, Fishers 317, Pendleton Heights 321, Hamilton Heights 346, Frankton 346, Lapel 352, Anderson 400, Elwood 403, Daleville 412, Alexandria 415.
Medalist: Maverick Conaway (Tipton) 32-38=70.
Southeastern scores: Mattingly Upchurch 35-37=72, Kai Warner 32-40=72, Cole Starnes 37-36=73, Nate Benson 38-37=75, Lane Zedrick 41-40=81.
Noblesville scores: Will Barnes 34-38=72, Alex Peck 39-35=74, Cooper Claussen 39-40=79, Brady Mangin 36-43=79, Drew Decker 38-42=80.
Fishers scores: Sam Keithley 39-38=77, Tommy Klinker 41-38=79, Ryan Stewart 40-39=79, Jonathan Ash 39-43=82, Carson Peters 38-49=87.
Hamilton Heights scores: Nathan Cox 41-38=79, Kole Kirtley 41-45=86, Ethan Millsaps 45-43=88, Vincent Harley 48-45=93, Josh Steffen 50-57=107.
Westfield hosted the sectional at Ulen Country Club in Lebanon Monday. With four of the top 10 teams competing, it is arguably the toughest sectional in the state.
The top-ranked Shamrocks rose to the occasion, running away with the team championship. Westfield scored a 282, finishing two over par as a team and defending its title for last year. The ‘Rocks have won seven sectional championships overall.
No. 6 Zionsville was the runner-up with a 295, and No. 2 Guerin Catholic scored a 301 for third place and a spot at Friday’s Harrison regional at Coyote Crossing.
The Shamrocks had three golfers finish in the top five, led by medalist Alec Cesare with a one-under par 69. Cesare started off with back-to-back bogeys, but quickly regrouped, making a birdie on the third hole. He kept things in perspective – “Last time I started bogey-bogey, I won the golf tournament,” he said – and would go on to finish with four birdies and a one-stroke win.
Westfield coach Josh Bryant said that his team has talked about how finishing strong is important. “Anything can happen in those last four holes, especially at Ulen,” he said. “He definitely took advantage of some good play.”
Cam Kooi and Will Harvey both had even-par 70s, which put them in a four-way tie for second place. Jake Cesare added a 73 and Matt Shull scored 78. Kooi eagled the 14th hole, in addition to making four birdies. Jake Cesare had five birdies, Harvey four and Shull one.
The Westfield boys golf team defended its sectional title at Ulen Country Club Monday, scoring a 282 and advancing to the regional at Coyote Crossing. (Photo provided)
“For a sectional at Ulen, that is the best score we’ve had in any year,” said Bryant. “It was a great day. We played good on the front and awesome on the back. It was fun to see them perform when the lights were on.”
Guerin Catholic was led by Jacob Modleski, who carded an even-par 70 to place himself in the tie for second. Modleski made four birdies, including three in a row on the back nine.
Leo Wessel scored a 75, making an eagle on the third hole in addition to three birdies. Eli Wessel scored a 76 with one birdie, while Zach Thieme and Owen Nielsen also both made one birdie.
Guerin Catholic finished third at Ulen and qualified for the regional at Coyote Crossing. (Photo provided)
No. 10-ranked Carmel placed fourth as a team with a 306. The Greyhounds will have some representation at the regional, as they claimed all three of the individual advancing spots. Mason Price scored a 73 (one birdie), Joseph Armfield carded a 76 (two birdies) and Austin Kent had a 77.
Sheridan scored a 408 as a team. The Blackhawks were led by Nathan Hinshaw, who carded a 96 and made one birdie. University totaled a 428. Emmette White and Tyler Davis both had 101s.
Team scores: Westfield 282, Zionsville 295, Guerin Catholic 301, Carmel 306, Lebanon 351, Western Boone 377, Sheridan 408, Frankfort 411, University 428.
Medalist: Alec Cesare (Westfield) 36-33=69.
Other Westfield scores: Cam Kooi 35-35=70, Will Harvey 38-32=70, Jake Cesare 36-37=73, Matt Shull 42-36=78.
Guerin Catholic scores: Jacob Modleski 37-33=70, Leo Wessel 34-41=75, Eli Wessel 36-40=76, Owen Nielsen 43-37=80, Zach Thieme 43-41=84.
Carmel scores: Mason Price 35-38=73, Joseph Armfield 39-37=76, Austin Kent 36-41=77, Daniel Montgomery 39-41=80, Kent Fujita 42-40=82.
Sheridan scores: Nathan Hinshaw 47-49=96, Zach Phillips 52-51=103, Parker Williams 53-51=104, Tyler Garner 51-54=105, Erich Retz 59-57=116.
University scores: Emmette White 49-52=101, Tyler Davis 50-51=101, Nicholas Quinto 52-59=111, John Koschnick 60-55=115, Kedrick Laborsky 60-62=122.