IHSAA Boys Golf

1995-96 State Finals in Review


RICHMOND CLAIMS TEAM TITLE; NEWELL WINS PLAYOFF FOR MEDALIST

Top-ranked Richmond won its second team title in the past four years and Ben Davis junior Kevin Newell seized medalist honors in a one-hole playoff June 13, 1996 in the 60th annual IHSAA Boys Golf State Championships at Prestwick Country Club in Avon.

Richmond entered the day five strokes down to first-round co-leaders Anderson and Bloomington South at 313. The Red Devils roared to victory by assembling a second-day aggregate of 301 for a two-day total of 614. Anderson, ranked sixth and the defending champion, finished at 616. Bloomington South was third at 624, followed by Brebeuf and Bloomington North at 626.

It was the third state championship in boys golf for Richmond and the sixth IHSAA state championship overall. Richmond also won IHSAA Boys Golf titles in 1941 and 1993. Senior Ryan Cate led the Red Devils with a second-round 72 and a 36-hole total of 147. Other Richmond scores were Del DeMao at 153, Joey Wuertemberger at 156, David Moehring at 158 and David Cottongim at 169.

Richmond had posted the state's best score in sectional play at 288 and the second lowest regional score at 299. The latter came in the Anderson Regional where the host Indians shot a state-best 289. It was the only loss of the season for Richmond, which also won the North Central Conference meet where Anderson had finished third.

Scores were generally higher Thursday on the par-72 course that played at 6,502 yards. Because of the wet conditions, players were again permitted to lift, clean and place balls in their own fairway. Although several tees were farther forward than usual, the course played long in places as the wet conditions allowed for very little roll.

Newell and Brian Post of Rensselaer were the only players to break par with 71s, while Cate and Damon Jones of Vincennes Lincoln matched par at 72.

Newell, a junior playing in the No. 2 position for Ben Davis, shot a one-under-par 71 in the second round to go with an opening round 72. That put him in a playoff with Post, who had posted a 143 total some four hours before Newell. Starting on the No. 10 hole, both players hit the fairway with their drives. Newell's approach hit the green from 182 yards out, while Post's 165-yard shot missed right and finished in a greenside bunker. After leaving his bunker shot in the fringe, Post needed a chip and a putt for bogey. Newell closed the match with a four-footer for par and the victory.

Newell joined former Ben Davis standout Jamie Broce as the only Giants in history to win IHSAA medalist honors in boys golf. Broce was medalist in 1992 as a freshman and runner-up in 1995 to Jeremy Wilkinson of South Bend Clay.

Wilkinson's bid to become the first player in tournament history to win medalist honors three times was dashed when he opened play Thursday with a triple-bogey 7 at No. 10. The first-round leader at 70, he settled for a 77 and finished in a tie for fifth at 147.

Wilkinson was named the 1996 recipient of the IHSAA Fred A. Keesling Mental Attitude Award in Boys Golf. One of only three players to win medalist honors twice, Wilkinson ranked in the top 25 percent of his graduating class at South Bend Clay. He will attend Louisiana State University on a golf scholarship. Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate sponsor of all IHSAA tournaments, will award a $1,000 scholarship in Wilkinson's name to South Bend Clay.

60TH BOYS GOLF STATE FINALS

FINAL RESULTS

June 12-13, 1996

Prestwick Country Club, Avon

TEAM LEADERBOARD

Richmond313-301-614
Anderson308-308-616
Bloomington South308-316-624
Brebeuf311-315-626
Bloomington North310-316-626
Terre Haute South313-313-628
Ben Davis314-315-629
Bedford North Lawrence 313-318-631
Jasper315-320-635
Homestead316-322-638
Lafayette Jefferson 324-315-639
Terre Haute North317-323-640
Huntington North316-326-642
Valparaiso325-317-642
Andrean324-319-643
Center Grove323-323-646
Mishawaka Marian319-330-649
Harrison (West Lafayette) 327-329-656
Northridge327-338-665

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Kevin Newell, Ben Davis 72-71-143*
Brian Post, Rensselaer Central 72-71-143
Andrew Bowers, Bloomington North 73-73-146
Damon Jones, Vincennes Lincoln 74-72-146
Ryan Cate, Richmond 75-72-147
Aaron Patton, Bloomington North 73-74-147
Jeremy Wilkinson , South Bend Clay 70-77-147
Craig Bouchard, Harrison 75-73-148
Chad Jones, Seymour 74-74-148
Michael Gratzer, Bedford North Lawrence 74-75-149
Wesley Gribas, Munster 73-76-149
Pat Hanlon, Valparaiso 74-75-149
Mike Lara, Homestead 75-74-149
Brion McLaughlin, Anderson 73-76-149
Brett Strbjak, Andrean 76-73-149
Chris Cassell, Terre Haute South 76-74-150
Scott Painter, Anderson 74-76-150
Craig Smith, Bloomington South 75-76-151
Coley Brady, Mishawaka Marian 75-77-152
Brian Pearce, Tipton 76-76-152
Noah Place, Jasper 74-78-152
Jason Westrick, South Decatur 75-77-152
Andy Brelage, Jasper 78-75-153
Del DeMao, Richmond 80-73-153
Jason Neuffer, North Posey 74-79-153
Lee Williamson, Southport 73-80-153
John Dunham, Brebeuf 77-77-154
Josh Hammond, Bloomington South 75-79-154
Mark Weghorst, Brebeuf 75-79-154
Dan Cross, Northridge 77-78-155
Bret Hardin, Center Grove 79-76-155
Jeff Walkey, Lafayette Jefferson 75-80-155
Landon Recker, Jasper 79-76-155
Joey Hibbert, Lafayette Jefferson 80-76-156
Bill Kloska, Mishawaka Marian 76-80-156
Nick Simmons, Ben Davis 76-80-156
Joey Wuertemberger, Richmond 79-77-156
Michael Bellush, Bedford North Lawrence 81-76-157
David Long, Bloomington South 77-80-157
Adam Summerlot, Terre Haute North 77-80-157
David Moehring, Richmond 79-79-158
Zach Nicoson, Terre Haute North 76-82-158
Todd Williams, Terre Haute South 77-81-158
Brett Gastineau, Lafayette Jefferson 86-73-159
Mason Hughes, Huntington North 76-83-159
Dino Carlos, Andrean 81-79-160
Bill Sullivan, Valparaiso 78-82-160

*Won medalist with par on first playoff hole

TEAM SCORES

Players listed in playing order, with No. 1 man first.

ANDERSON (308-308-616) -- Brion McLaughlin (73-76-149), Scott Painter (74-74-150), Kyle Minnick (82-80-162), Neil Heider (79-82-161), Kyle Cochran (89-76-165).

ANDREAN (324-319-643) -- Dino Carlos (81-79-160), Brett Strbjak (76-73-149), Gordy Gouveia (84-84-168), Ed Larson (83-83-166), Brian Strbjak (84-87-171).

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (313-318-631) -- Matt Lowney (79-84-163), Michael Bellush (8176-157), Nathan Hall (80-83-163), Andrew Lafferty (80-84-164), Michael Gratzer (74-75-149).

BEN DAVIS (314-315-629) -- Nick Simmons (76-80-156), Kevin Newell (72-71-143), Phil Meehan (8186-167), Christopher Gearlds (88-86-174), David Albrecht (85-78-163).

BREBEUF (311-315-626) -- John Dunham (77-77-154), Joe Drozda (77-84-161), Mark Weghorst (75-79-154), Jason Barber (82-80-162), Zach Mayhew (82-79-161).

BLOOMINGTON NORTH (310-316-626) -- Aaron Patton (73-74-147), Andrew Bowers (73-73-146), Zach Anderson (81-86-167), Bill Walters (91-89-180), Mitch Parry (83-83-166).

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (308-316-624) -- Josh Hammond (75-79-154), David Long (77-80-157), Adam Long (81-81-162), Chad Elkins (84-81-165), Craig Smith (75-76-151).

CENTER GROVE (323-323-646) -- Andy Stockman (82-91-173), Brock Ward (81-81-162), Randy Tipmore (81-83-164), Bret Hardin (79-76-155), Eric Brennan (82-83-165).

HARRISON (327-329-656) -- Scott Hufford (88-98-166), Darin Hughes (88-90-178), Adam Bain (83-84-167), Matt Stark (81-82-163), Craig Bouchard (75-73-148).

HOMESTEAD (316-322-638) -- Greg Wilson (80-82-162), Mike Lara (75-74-149), Tim Phillips (81-84-165), Brad Milligan (80-82-162), Aaron Busse (86-87-173).

HUNTINGTON NORTH (316-326-638) -- Jon Oliver (81-81-162), Mason Hughes (76-83-159), Andy Ogden (78-88-166), Brandt Finley (81-82-163), Todd Maples (82-80-162).

JASPER (320-315-635) -- Noah Place (74-78-152), Landon Recker (79-76-155), Andy Seger (89-86-175), Nick Abbett (89-86-175), Andy Brelage (78-75-153).

LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON (324-315-639) -- Brett Gastineau (86-73-159), Clark Webb (83-90-173), Jeff Walkey (75-80-155), Joey Hibbert (80-76-156), Jimmy Trueblood (86-86-172).

MISHAWAKA MARIAN (319-330-649) -- Coley Brady (75-77-152), Bill Kloska (76-80-156), Pat Theismann (84-81-165), Bill Farrell (84-92-176), Brian Borger (90-95-185).

NORTHRIDGE (327-338-665) -- Dan Cross (77-78-155), Mark Vogelzang (96-83-179), Jeremy Wrigley (82-94-176), Bryan Whittington (85-95-180), Doug Berry (83-83-166).

RICHMOND (313-301-614) -- Ryan Cate (75-72-147), Joey Wuertemberger (79-77-156), Del DeMao (80-73-153), David Moehring (79-79-158), David Cottongim (85-84-169).

TERRE HAUTE NORTH (317-323-640) -- Brent Treash (80-89-169), Adam Summerlot (77-80-157), Zach Nicoson (76-82-158), Andy Higham (84-85-169), Kevin Dean (89-76-165).

TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (313-315-628) -- Chris Cassell (76-74-150), Abe Nasser (76-87-163), Steve Vining (84-81-165), Conor Grimley (86-79-165), Todd Williams (77-81-158).

VALPARAISO (325-317-642) -- Bill Sullivan (78-82-160), Pat Hanlon (74-75-149), Matt Warring (85-78-163), Tom Newton (88-82-170), Todd Birch (89-87-176).

INDIVIDUALS COMPETING WITHOUT TEAMS

First-round cut came at 76

Brian Post, Rensselaer Central 72-71-143
Damon Jones, Vincennes Lincoln 74-72-146
Jeremy Wilkinson , South Bend Clay 70-77-147
Chad Jones, Seymour 74-74-148
Wesley Gribas, Munster 73-76-149
Brian Pearce, Tipton 76-76-152
Jason Westrick, South Decatur 75-77-152
Jason Neuffer, North Posey 74-79-153
Lee Williamson, Southport 73-80-153