Greenfield-Central and Mt. Vernon boys golf teams have recently carded season low rounds.
At Thursday’s Muncie Central Regional at The Players Club in Yorktown, they’ll probably need to do it again.
The Cougars, Marauders and New Palestine are among the 15 teams competing for three spots in the IHSAA Boys Golf State Finals, which will take place June 13-14 at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel.
Along with the three qualifying teams, two individuals not associated with the top three teams will advance to the state finals.
Among the competitors in Thursday’s regional are No. 3 Hamilton Southeastern and No. 14 Noblesville. They’re coming off rounds of 292 and 304, respectively, in the Noblesville Sectional and are considered to be the heavy favorites to grab two of the three positions.
It leaves 13 teams fighting for one spot.
Greenfield-Central shot a season-low 319 to win Monday’s Greenfield-Central Sectional. The Cougars previous low round was 325, scored at last month’s Hoosier Heritage Conference Tournament at Players Club.
Mt. Vernon finished second at the sectional with a 324. The Marauders had a season-best 312 last week in a regular season tournament.
After Noblesville, the next lowest score, from sectional play, was a 315 from Eastbrook, winners of the Norwell Sectional.
Following HSE and Noblesville, six teams in the regional scored between 315-319 in sectional tournaments, including Eastbrook (315), Chatard (316), Tipton (316), Cathedral (317), Heritage Christian (318) and Greenfield-Central (319). Yorktown had a 321 to win the Monroe Central Sectional, but will now be playing on its home course.
“We’re definitely going to have to fire something in the 3-teens or so and probably have around four career lows,” Greenfield-Central sophomore Avery Young said. He shot a season-best 76 at Hawk’s Tail of Greenfield on Monday, finishing third overall and was low among Cougars golfers.
“It’s going to take a lot considering HSE and Noblesville are in this regional,” Young added. “We’re going to do everything we can, that’s hit driver on every hole we can, going at pins and setting ourselves up for success to have a better chance. We’re really the underdog.”
Mt. Vernon won the HHC tournament on the Players Club course and, at the time, shot a season-low 322. The Marauders have had five different golfers break 80 this season. Nils Erkmanis was the individual runner-up in the HHC meet, losing in a playoff to Yorktown’s Christian Groves. Erkmanis, a sophomore, is coming off a round of 75 in the sectional.
New Palestine got the third and final qualifying spot from the sectional tournament. The Dragons shot 341 Monday. Other teams in the tournament include, Bellmont (326), Delta (328), Norwell (335) and Winchester (335).
“That’s where we shot our previous low,” Greenfield-Central coach Cliff Henderson said of playing Thursday’s tournament at Players Club. “We love the course. It’s long and we have some kids that can hit the ball and take advantage of their length off the tee. I think we’re sitting in a position to do very well.”
The IHSAA.org website lists 8 a.m. as Thursday’s first tee time. There are six regionals across the state. Other regional hosts are Lake Central (Sandy Pines), Warsaw (Stonehenge), Harrison (Coyote Crossing), Washington (Country Oaks) and Providence (Champions Pointe). Five of the six tournaments will take place Thursday. The Harrison Regional is Friday.
