The high school golf season is in full swing, with numerous athletes from Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana securing their spots in the state tournaments. Recent competitions have showcased talented boys and girls golfers, leading to exciting advancements in the state championships.
Ohio Golf Highlights
Division II Boys State Qualifiers
On September 30, the Division II district meet saw the Roger Bacon team achieve remarkable success, finishing as runners-up with a total score of 308, just behind champion Alter, which scored 300. The standout performer for Roger Bacon was sophomore Blake Rohling, who shot a stellar 72, tying for medalist honors. Other team members included Henry Fulwiler, Allister Fike, Ty Dumont, and Jude Voss. This achievement marks Roger Bacon’s return to the state tournament for the first time since 1941.
Indian Hill junior Jacob Lewis also put forth an impressive performance, shooting a 75 and placing fifth overall. However, he lost a playoff to Arcanum’s Luke Stephens for the second qualifying spot. The Division II state tournament is set for October 6 and 7 at NCR Country Club South Course.
Division III Boys State Qualifiers
In Division III, Seven Hills junior Matia Kastner secured his spot at the OHSAA state tournament with an impressive score of 73 at PipeStone on September 29, earning medalist honors by two strokes. Leo Counts from Russia also qualified as an individual. Botkins and National Trail were the top two teams from this competition. Both Summit Country Day and Seven Hills finished with a score of 332, just six shots short of qualifying.
The Division III state tournament will take place on October 13 and 14 at NorthStar Golf Club.
Division II Girls State Qualifiers
The Division II girls competition on October 1 at PipeStone Golf Club was highly competitive. Madeira and Fenwick secured the top two team spots, with Madeira clinching the championship by just one stroke. The team was led by individual medalist Ellie Hartung, who recorded a remarkable 69. Following Hartung, Sophia Fink from CHCA shot a 71, qualifying as the first individual for the state tournament. Mariemont’s Charlotte Soller also qualified with a score of 77.
Fenwick’s Emma Lohman placed fourth with a score of 78. The Division II state tournament is scheduled for October 6 and 7 at Heatherwoode Golf Club.
Northern Kentucky Golf Highlights
Girls Golf State Final Qualifiers
The girls’ state tournament kicked off with the KHSAA state first round at Pendleton Hills on September 29. Teams from Regions 5-8 competed, with Sacred Heart, Owen County, and Mercy Academy finishing in the top three and qualifying for the state finals. Ryle fell short in fourth place, scoring 378, missing a qualifying spot by 19 strokes.
Several local golfers advanced as individuals, including Notre Dame’s Maria Penaranda, who led with a score of 83, finishing tied for 10th. Other qualifiers included Tatjana Andracenko of Dixie Heights (84), Anika Okuda of Ryle (85), Reese Anthony of St. Henry (86), and Sarah Smith of Grant County (89). The girls’ state finals will take place at Bowling Green Country Club on October 7 and 8.
Boys Golf State Final Qualifiers
Following the girls, the boys competed at Pendleton Hills on October 1. Ryle emerged as a strong contender, shooting a 304 and finishing second overall, qualifying for the state finals behind Louisville St. Xavier’s score of 299. Hayden Li led Ryle with a score of 74, tying for fifth overall.
Covington Catholic also showed strong performance, tying for fourth with Central Hardin at 314, just three strokes behind Christian Academy of Louisville for the third qualifying spot. Newport Central Catholic finished eighth with a score of 364. Individual qualifiers from this meet included Brady Pagnotto of Covington Catholic (tied for fifth with Li at 74), Joseph Mangine (76), Adam Gutman of Walton-Verona (78), and both Parker Isaacs of St. Henry and Jace Hammons of Beechwood (79).
The KHSAA boys state finals are set for October 10 and 11 at Bowling Green.
Indiana Golf Highlights
In Indiana, East Central senior Rowan Pies is set to compete in the Indiana High School Athletic Association golf state tournament for the third consecutive year. Pies, who previously finished tied for seventh in last year’s state tournament, shot a 73 at the regional tournament held at The Legends Golf Club on September 27, placing her as the regional runner-up by just one stroke behind Batesville’s Ava South. The IHSAA state tournament will occur on October 3 and 4 at Prairie View Golf Club.
The excitement surrounding these upcoming tournaments highlights the dedication and skill of these young athletes as they strive for success on the golf course.
