hree local schools and three other individuals survived the rigors of the Thunderbird Hills Golf course Wednesday to advance to the Division I district golf tournament next Wednesday at Red Hawk Run in Findlay.
Ashland dominated the sectional tournament. The Arrows combined to shoot a 299 which was 16 strokes better than second place Fremont Ross. Ashland’s Keith Brooks and Stephen Sinchok tied for the round’s lowest score with 71s.
The top five teams and top five individuals not on those five teams also qualified for the district tournament. Avon Lake was third with 317, Norwalk was fourth with 330 and Amherst was fifth with a 333 — which was one stroke better than Bowling Green.
Three of the five individual spots were earned by local golfers. Lexington’s Jake Houston picked up the first individual spot with a 74. North Ridgeville senior Mitch Clark, Sandusky junior Taylor Wolf and Elyria junior Roman King each shot a 79 to advance. All three shot identical 38s on the front nine and 41s on the back.
The back nine was fight for many of the golfers on the day. Only five golfers on the day shot in the 30s on the back nine with most golfers in the high 40s and 50s.
Avon Lake struggled on the day but the Shoremen were good enough to advance.
"It wasn’t our best golf of the season," Avon Lake head coach Amy Manco said. "Despite a bad day we still qualified for the next step. We are happy for that next step but not with individual scores. We have stressed ‘team’ all year and they picked each other up."
Sophomore Brendan Aussem led the Shoremen with a 76.
Norwalk head coach Wes Douglas knew for his team to advance it would be in the fourth or fifth spot.
"It was a very good day for us," Douglas said. "I told the guys that 330 was the mark that usually got through. It was not a pretty day but the guys battled and stayed with it."
Junior Dustin Lieber shot a 40 on the back nine and a 39 on the front.
"Dustin was methodical," Douglas said. "He had only two birdies but no double bogeys."
Norwalk’s Logan Schullick started the day on the 10th hole. He was four over after that hole but rebounded to shoot a 80.
"So he played the final 17 at four over," Douglas said. "That shows physical and mental strength."
Douglas said the main reason the Truckers advanced was thanks to "Grandpa."
Karson Schaechterle is Norwalk’s fifth golfer.
"He is real unassuming," Douglas said. "We call him Grandpa because he is real steady. He dropped four strokes today and that was the difference between us making it and not. The first four have carried us all year without much help. Everyone is really proud and happy for Karson.
Amherst coach Aaron Millet said his team had this tournament circled on the calender.
"We were middle of the pack in the SWC," Millet said. "I told them every year a team in 330s makes it out. I told them that we don’t have a dominate golfer but I have five who can shoot low 80s. We put all our eggs in this basket. I told them we could advance if they did what they were capable of doing. They took the challenge and pulled it off."
Caleb started on the back nine and struggled. He came through with a 36 on the front nine.
"Caleb hung in there," Millet said. "That was the difference as we advanced by one stroke."
Amherst’s fifth golfer is freshman Mike Campana. His 82 played a big role as well.
"Mike is like 13," Millet said, "He has been a nice addition to the team. His 82 was my second lowest on the day."