MOUNT VERNON — The Mount Vernon golf team keeps taking small steps toward respectability.
The Yellow Jackets took another step Saturday, shooting a 316 to finish sixth in its own Kent Miller Colonial Invitational at Hiawatha Golf Course. Centerville won the event with a 302, followed by Dublin Jerome at 306. Hilliard Davidson, New Albany and Pickerington Central all nipped the Jackets.
“It’s obviously not what we’ve done the last four or five years. But, for this year’s team, it’s not too bad,” Mount Vernon coach Mike Fuller said. “We’ve improved since the beginning of the year and this was a decent score for us.”
The Jackets have just two varsity players back from last year’s squad, with veteran Charlie Phillips leading the way Saturday with a 3-over-par 75. Matt O’Hara was next for MV with a 78, followed by Brody Harwell at 80, Aaron O’Hara at 83 and Dom Diguilio at 85.
“Matt O’Hara played a pretty nice round with a 78,” Fuller said.
Hosting the event allowed the Jackets to give nine more players a chance to play in a big, 21-team tournament. Cole McDonough shot a 77 to pace MV Orange. Chase Springer followed with an 84, Justin Fairchild had an 86, Will O’Hara a 90 and Sam Highnam a 92.
The Mount Vernon White team was led by Andrew Wyatt, who fired an 87. Austin Blanton shot a 93, Zach Merrilees a 98 and Colin Curry a 103.
“That’s the good thing about hosting your own tournament — all the Mount Vernon kids get to play. It was nice to see the young ones out there. We had some that played pretty well, which looks great for our future,” Fuller said.
Centerburg was also involved in the tournament, finishing eighth with a 327. Garrison Myles was just two shots off medalist honors, firing a 2-over-par 74. Troy Lemke followed closely behind with a 78, while Nich Pitzer carded an 84, Austin Garber shot 91 and Cole Metcalf 101.
