The REPORTER
Two Hamilton County golfers are into the Round of 16 at the Boys State Junior Championship, which is taking place at Purdue University’s Ackerman-Allen course.
The match play portion of the tournament began Wednesday with first-round play, immediately followed by second-round play.
Jake Cesare, an incoming senior at Westfield, advanced with a 2 Up victory over Charlestown’s Samuel Harris in his second-round match. Recent Guerin Catholic graduate Leo Wessel also won, cruising past Lafayette’s Charlie Seaburg 6 & 4.
Jake Cesare and Wessel will play each other in this morning’s Round of 16, with their match beginning at 8:40 a.m. The winner advances to the quarterfinals, which take place this afternoon.
Westfield junior-to-be Ryan Cesare also played in the second round, falling to Fort Wayne’s Alex Holder 3 & 2. Ryan Cesare edged out Hamilton Southeastern incoming junior Mattingly Upchurch in 20 holes in a first-round match.
Wessel defeated Bargersville’s Brody Holubar 5 & 3 to win in the first round, while Jake Cesare won a first-round match over HSE graduate Jordan Huxford 2 Up.
In other first-round matches, Guerin Catholic senior-to-be Robbie Burt fell to Richmond’s Brady Moore 2 & 1, while Westfield incoming senior Will Harvey was edged out by Ellettsville’s Luke Garrett in 19 holes. Fishers junior-to-be Thomas Klinker lost to Indianapolis’ Johnny Leaman 2 & 1, while incoming Westfield junior Hudson Kutchma dropped a 3 & 1 match to Lafayette’s Sam Peter.
Incoming Southeastern senior Kai Warner fell to Whiteland’s Jack Besner 2 & 1, with recent HSE graduate Vijeet Akala dropping a 2 & 1 match to Lafayette’s Charlie Seaburg. Noblesville senior-to-be Lance Decker lost 5 & 4 to Fort Branch’s Peyton Blackard, while another Noblesville golfer, incoming junior Dustin Turpin, fell to Roanoke’s Landon Snyder 5 & 3.