BG STATE FINALS: Preview

From ihsaa.org

Two-time defending state champion Brebeuf Jesuit, along with individual champion Tyler Ostrom of Warsaw, both return to the field with a chance to repeat as the 76th Annual IHSAA Boys Golf State Finals to be held June 1-13 at The Legends Golf Club in Franklin.

Twenty-one teams advanced five golfers each, while 22 individuals have moved on without their squads for a total of 127 participants representing 41 teams. The IHSAA will utilize a double-wave start of threesomes, with the first groups teeing off the Middle 9 course and the Road 9 course at 7:30 a.m. ET Tuesday and the second group beginning their rounds at 12 p.m. ET.

Those teams and individuals that make the cut will return for a second day on Wednesday.

Brebeuf Jesuit emerged the winner in last year’s final after a fifth-score tiebreaker with Columbus North, which also registered a two-round total of 591. Both squads have advanced back to this year’s finals, with each winning their respective regional championship.

The second-ranked Braves will be attempting to win an unprecedented third straight state championship with three holdovers from last year’s team: Wil Pahud, Max Gagnier, and Will Tenbarge. Pahud, who tied for 10th last year, has played on the last two title teams.

No. 1 Columbus North also returns three from last year: Tanner Bennett, Michael VanDeventer, and Christian Fairbanks. VanDeventer tied for fifth last year.

Seven other teams from last year return as well, including No. 3 Evansville Harrison, No. 4 Valparaiso, and No. 5 Floyd Central. In all, seven of the Top 10 teams in the latest golf coaches’ poll have reached the state finals.

Providence will make its fifth consecutive appearance in the state finals, the longest run among this year’s field, while No. 11 Heritage Hills and No. 14 Westfield are making their first trip to this level of the tournament.

Defending state champion Tyler Ostrom of Warsaw is one of six players back from last year’s Top 10, having won the sectional at Stonehenge in a playoff and tying for third in the regional at Orchard Ridge. He’ll take his shot at becoming the first repeat champion since Jeremy Wilkinson of South Bend Clay won back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995 and the fourth ever to do so (Joe Campbell of Anderson, and Ron Frantz of Indianapolis Broad Ripple).

Also joining Ostrom from last year’s Top 10 is Zionsville’s Adam Wood, the 2011 state runner-up. Wood won the sectional at Crawfordsville Municipal as well as the regional at Battle Ground.

Jordan Griffith of Madison and Will Seger of Jasper have turned in some of the best scores in this tournament. Griffith carded a 66 in the sectional at Sunrise Municipal and a 69 at in the regional at Champions Pointe, while Seger boasted a 69 in the sectional at Sultan’s Run before turning in a 68 in the regional at Country Oaks.

Of historic note …

Teams qualified (21 listed alphabetically; *indicates regional champion)
Brebeuf Jesuit*, Carmel, Columbus North*, Evansville Harrison, Floyd Central, Fort Wayne Dwenger, Heritage Hills, Indianapolis Cathedral, Jasper*, Martinsville, Mishawaka Marian, Noblesville*, Northridge, Penn, Providence, Tipton, Valparaiso*, Warsaw*, West Lafayette, Westfield, Zionsville*

Teams returning from 2011 state finals (9 of 21)
Brebeuf Jesuit, Columbus North, Evansville Harrison, Floyd Central, Jasper, Providence, Valparaiso, Warsaw, Zionsville

Individuals qualified without a team (22; *indicates regional champion)
Mike Bareni, Lake Central
Joel Collins, LaPorte*
Chase Ellsworth, Bellmont
Evan Embry, Henryville
Clayton French, Linton
Jordan Griffith, Madison*
Zach Gurtner, LaVille
Johnny Gulley, Plainfield
Cody Johnson, Harrison (West Lafayette)
Dillon Meyer, Evansville Central
Spencer Mortola, Lakeland*
Nathan Pirtle, Sullivan
Rylan Porter, Plainfield*
Cody Richardson, Lakeland
Zach Schroeder, Lebanon
Zach Seeler, Marion
Michael Sharp, East Noble
Jordan Sweet, Huntington North
Chase Wagner, Bedford North Lawrence
Dylan Windler, Perry Meridian
Jason Woolums, New Castle
Anthony Zachman, Rossville

Teams returning from 2011 Top 10 (6)
1. Brebeuf Jesuit
1. Columbus North
4. Floyd Central
4. Zionsville
7. Warsaw
8. Evansville Harrison

Individuals returning from 2011 Top 10 (6)
1. Tyler Ostrom, Warsaw
2. Adam Wood, Zionsville
5. Michael Sharp, East Noble
5. Michael VanDeventer, Columbus North
10. Will Seger, Jasper
10. Wil Pahud, Brebeuf Jesuit

Most consecutive state finals appearances
21: Indianapolis Shortridge (1932-1957; state tournament was discontinued from 1942-46 due to WWII)

Active streaks of consecutive state finals appearances (three or more years)
5: Providence
4: Brebeuf Jesuit, Floyd Central, Warsaw
3: Columbus North, Evansville Harrison, Jasper, Valparaiso

First-time team state finals appearances
Heritage Hills, Westfield

State finals appearance droughts broken (10 years or more)
None

Former state champions in the field
Tyler Ostrom, Warsaw (2011 champ)

Former state runners-up in the field
Adam Wood, Zionsville (2011 runner-up)

First-time regional champions in the field
None

Regional championship droughts broken (10 years or more)
10: Zionsville

Best scores in 2012 state tournament (among state finalists)
288: Martinsville (sectional)
293: Columbus North (regional)
294: Columbus North (sectional), Evansville Harrison (sectional), Floyd Central (regional), Fort Wayne Dwenger (sectional)
295: Floyd Central (sectional)
296: Indianapolis Cathedral (sectional), Jasper (regional), Jasper (sectional), Zionsville (sectional)
298: Brebeuf Jesuit (sectional)

Best scores in 2012 state tournament (among state finalists)
66: Jordan Griffith, Madison (sectional); Dylan Meyer, Evansville Central (sectional)
67: Rylan Porter, Plainfield (regional)
68: Will Seger, Jasper (regional)
69: Jordan Griffith, Madison (regional); Will Seger, Jasper (sectional); Mike VanDeventer, Columbus North (sectional); Jordan Wildt, Evansville Harrison (sectional)

STATE FINALS
Dates: Tuesday, June 12 (Round 1); Wednesday, June 13 (Round 2)
Times: 7:30 a.m. ET both days
Admission: $8 per session, $12 both sessions
Site: The Legends Golf Club, 2555 North Hurricane Road, Franklin
Advancement from Round 1 to Round 2:
Teams
Top 9 teams plus any team within 12 strokes of the lead after Round 1 or teams tied for ninth place
Individuals
Top 9 individuals (excluding those individuals who advance with a team) plus any individual within four strokes of the lead after Round 1 or individuals tied for ninth place

Round 1 tee times and pairings (all times ET):

Morning wave
7:30 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Nathan Pirtle (9), Sullivan
Johnny Gulley (9), Plainfield
Michael Sharp (10), East Noble

10th Tee (Road 9)
Mike Bareni (12), Lake Central
Chase Wagner (12), Bedford North Lawrence

7:39 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Evan Embry (12), Henryville
Dylan Meyer (10), Evansville Central
Rylan Porter (12), Plainfield

10th Tee (Road 9)
Cody Johnson (12), Harrison (West Lafayette)
Zach Gurtner (10), LaVille
Jordan Sweet (12), Huntington North

7:48 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Zach Seeler (9), Marion
Jordan Griffith (10), Madison
Clayton French (11), Linton

10th Tee (Road 9)
Spencer Mortola (11), Lakeland
Zach Schroeder (9), Lebanon
Joel Collins (12), LaPorte

7:57 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Austin Brooks (12), Penn
Peter Ciravolo (10), Carmel
Elliott Happel (12), Providence

10th Tee (Road 9)
Connor Perius (12), Indianapolis Cathedral
Andrew Edlund (12), Northridge
Seth Grimme (9), Tipton

8:06 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Caelen Rohan (12), Penn
Jon Hicks (10), Carmel
Robert Waiz (11), Providence

10th Tee (Road 9)
Chris Murray (12), Indianapolis Cathedral
Tom Morrison (9), Northridge
Tanner Maxey (10), Tipton

8:15 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Richard Jung (10), Penn
Jake Brown (10), Carmel
Mitchell Allender (9), Providence

10th Tee (Road 9)
Ryan Ward (9), Indianapolis Cathedral
Will Erekson (10), Northridge
Blake Hoover (11), Tipton

8:24 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
James Schwartz (11), Penn
Brady Sharkey (12), Carmel
Cory Cahalan (11), Providence

10th Tee (Road 9)
Andrew Derringer (10), Indianapolis Cathedral
Rhett Holaway (12), Northridge
Keegan Gray (12), Tipton

8:33 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Grant Spiritoso (12), Penn
Andrew Havill (11), Carmel
Bryce Very (12), Providence

10th Tee (Road 9)
Jon Williams (12), Indianapolis Cathedral
Logan McBride (12), Northridge
Mike Crawford (11), Tipton

8:42 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Jake Weiss (12), West Lafayette
Alexander Disberry (12), Mishawaka Marian
Ben Resler (11), Westfield

10th Tee (Road 9)
Sam Collins (9), Heritage Hills
Clayton Winders (9), Martinsville
John Hope (9), Fort Wayne Dwenger

8:51 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Adam Folta (12), West Lafayette
Alexander Stopczynski (11), Mishawaka Marian
Colton Smith (11), Westfield

10th Tee (Road 9)
Preston Van Winkle (10), Heritage Hills
Carson Brinkley (11), Martinsville
Spencer Gillig (10), Fort Wayne Dwenger

9:00 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Gaurav Mittal (11), West Lafayette
John Rozycki (11), Mishawaka Marian
Keith Ponsler (9), Westfield

10th Tee (Road 9)
Cody Van Winkle (12), Heritage Hills
Baylor Payne (9), Martinsville
Drake Eifert (10), Fort Wayne Dwenger

9:09 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Rett Berry (12), West Lafayette
Connor Isban (11), Mishawaka Marian
David Hildebrand (11), Westfield

10th Tee (Road 9)
Travis Waninger (12), Heritage Hills
Nick English (12), Martinsville
Carter Eifert (12), Fort Wayne Dwenger

9:18 a.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Sean Busch (12), West Lafayette
Michael Makris (10), Mishawaka Marian
Timmy Hildebrand (9), Westfield

10th Tee (Road 9)
Nick Teaford (12), Heritage Hills
Logan Barker (12), Martinsville
Jake Leonard (10), Fort Wayne Dwenger

Afternoon wave
12:00 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Jonny Hollar (9), Warsaw
Clark Mattison (11), Zionsville
Patrick Andrie (11), Valparaiso

10th Tee (Road 9)
Dylan Windler (11), Perry Meridian
Cody Richardson (12), Lakeland
Anthony Zachman (12), Rossville

12:09 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Bennett Hollar (12), Warsaw
Will Dixon (11), Zionsville
Andrew Gariup (11), Valparaiso

10th Tee (Road 9)
Chase Ellsworth (10), Bellmont
Jason Woolums (12), New Castle

12:18 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Tim Ahlersmeyer (11), Warsaw
Trent Pancake (10), Zionsville
Logan Bertalan (12), Valparaiso

10th Tee (Road 9)
Jay Holderman (12), Floyd Central
Mitchell Baker (12), Evansville Harrison
Andrew Terrell (9), Brebeuf Jesuit

12:27 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Jon Schram (11), Warsaw
Clark Tiller (10), Zionsville
Bobby Jacobs (11), Valparaiso

10th Tee (Road 9)
James Peckham (12), Floyd Central
Tanner Mandel (12), Evansville Harrison
Dawson Robinson (12), Brebeuf Jesuit

12:36 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Tyler Ostrom (12), Warsaw
Adam Wood (10), Zionsville
Kyle Meihofer (11), Valparaiso

10th Tee (Road 9)
Jack Sparrow (10), Floyd Central
Jordan Wildt (12), Evansville Harrison
Will Tenbarge (12), Brebeuf Jesuit

12:45 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Josh Keating (9), Noblesville
Tanner Bennett (10), Columbus North
Cam Weyer (10), Jasper

10th Tee (Road 9)
Devin Jenkins (11), Floyd Central
Sean Stone (12), Evansville Harrison
Max Gagnier (12), Brebeuf Jesuit

12:54 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Chase Kluth (10), Noblesville
John Arthur (12), Columbus North
Michael Bies (12), Jasper

10th Tee (Road 9)
Daniel Shepherd (11), Floyd Central
Alex Turner (12), Evansville Harrison
Wilson Pahud (12), Brebeuf Jesuit

1:03 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Spencer King (12), Noblesville
Jacob Coffey (11), Columbus North
Dru Hein (11), Jasper

1:12 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Sam Hardwick (11), Noblesville
Michael Vandeventer (10), Columbus North
Ian Weyer (12), Jasper

1:21 p.m.
1st Tee (Middle 9)
Jackson Wright (10), Noblesville
Christian Fairbanks (10), Columbus North
Will Seger (11), Jasper