HOWARD — High school golf teams battled a tough course, and even tougher conditions, Tuesday at the East Knox Invitational.
The weather went from good to bad and back to good, but with some wind, during the 18-hole tournament at Apple Valley Golf Course. In the end, a consistent team showing helped Johnstown roll to the victory.
The Johnnies shot 320 as a team to win the eight-team tourney. Centerburg was second at 338, followed by Utica at 344 and Danville at 349. Host East Knox finished seventh at 373 and Fredericktown was eighth at 417.
“There was some good competition out here,” said East Knox coach Doug Smith. “Johnstown and Centerburg are solid teams, and Utica and Danville are close.
“The weather was great early, but then it poured and we got held up a bit. But, there was only a half hour of misery. The rest was a nice day. Apple Valley is a great course and it’s in great shape.”
Johnstown’s Cody Green was medalist on the day with a 3-over-par 75. That round included a double bogey on the ninth hole.
Finishing second as an individual was Danville’s Nick Stover. He fired a 2-over-par 38 on the front, then followed it up with a 40 on the back nine to come in second at 78.
“This is my first time [breaking 80]. I’ve worked pretty hard all season and finally got it,” Stover said. “I hit the ball real well, but my putting helped a bunch.”
Stover’s group ran into a hard rain on the fifth hole, but after a 15-minute delay, he was able to get it going again.
“It got a little iffy on No. 5. There was some standing water on the green. We had to smack it to get it through the wet greens,” Stover said. “After it quit, it was still a little soggy, but by the back nine it dried out and played better. Nine through 11 were tough today.”
Finishing third individually at 79 were Johnstown’s Cody Peterman and Centerburg’s Troy Lemke. Lemke played well on the front nine, but a bogey-bogey-bogey finish kept him from challenging Green for medalist honors.
“I played well on the front, but didn’t finish very strong. Bogey-bogey-bogey is not how you want to finish,” Lemke said. “I hit my drives well and the greens were rolling well. I just didn’t make any putts.”
Centerburg also got solid scores from Garrison Myles, who shot an 80, and Nich Pitzer, who fired an 85.
Sam Armstrong followed up Stover’s good score for Danville with an 82. Ryan Bell added an 88.
Utica was led by Austin Neff, who fired an 80, and Joe Metzger, who carded an 82.
East Knox was led by Bruce Emler and Derek Walters, who both shot 90. Robert Sloboda added a 92.
Fredericktown was led by Cody Grubaugh’s 95.
The four area teams will face off again today at Echo Springs in the Utica Invitational. The first round of the Mid-Buckeye Conference tournament will be Thursday at Chapel Hill Golf Course.
