AKRON — Silas Kirkpatrick calmly rolled in Green’s final putt of the season for a birdie.
It felt like an appropriate ending for this senior-laden high school boys golf team. Doubted by some, the Bulldogs made it to this year’s OHSAA Division I state tournament. Their response was a respectable finish.
Green tied Anderson for sixth in the 36-hole event that ended Monday, Oct. 13 on Firestone Country Club’s North Course. Kirkpatrick tied for 25th individually to lead the Bulldogs.
“It was incredible. I didn’t know if our season could make it this long,” Kirkpatrick said. “I trusted the Lord with what was going to happen, and He got us here. I’m thankful for that.
“It’s probably bigger than what we can recognize right now. This is the culmination of a season that has been pretty crazy and pretty great for us. I’m happy we got to finish that way and grateful we got to be out here.”
Kirkpatrick, Shane Bates, Jackson Keller, Anthony Micale and Chad Tietz played their final rounds of high school golf Monday. This year they were joined by junior Luigi Costanzo, who played in Sunday’s first round.
A 13-stroke improvement in the final round helped Green maintain a top 6 finish.
“What a world of difference a day made for the boys,” Bulldogs head coach Greg Andrego said. “They got comfortable in a hard environment and just flat-out performed. They did everything they’ve been asked to do all year and just applied it. The moment wasn’t too big for them. It was cool to see.”
Kirkpatrik shaved five strokes off his first-round score and finished 3-over 75 Monday.
Green’s Silas Kirkpatrick birdies 18 at state golf tournament | Video
Green’s Silas Kirkpatrick wraps up his high school career with a birdie on No. 18 at the OHSAA Division I boys golf state championships.
A rough start on the back nine could have derailed Kirkpatrick’s final high school round. He double bogeyed 11 and bogeyed 12, 14 and 15.
Kirkpatrick regrouped and finished strong. He parred 16 and 17 and dropped in a birdie putt on 18.
“I’m proud of the way I finished,” said Kirkpatrick, a Cedarville University recruit. “I wish it could have gone better because I know I’m better than this, but I’m happy.
“I think understanding that giving it all today was what I needed to do was something that really helped me. That’s kind of what I did when I went out there.”
Kirkpatrick broke 70 in multiple 18-hole rounds this season. While facing adversity on the back nine, Andrego still saw a player who believed in himself.
“He said to me walking off 11 ‘I haven’t lost any confidence. I’ll be OK,'” Andrego said. “He rebounded.
“He’s seeing things and understands. He’s seeing the big picture and can apply it. That’s pretty cool to see.”
Minerva girls finish 12th in OHSAA Division I girls state tournament
Minerva’s comeback story ended with the Lions finishing 12th in the OHSAA Division I girls golf state tournament.
The Lions made it to the state tournament after going 0-18 in 2022. They went 16-0 and won Eastern Buckeye Conference, sectional and district titles this season.
Sophomore Peyton Beaumariage tied for 50th to lead Minerva.
Hoover’s Ellie Hutzler, Jackson’s Ben Young finish strong
The final round was also a successful one for individual state qualifiers Ellie Hutzler of Hoover and Ben Young of Jackson.
Hutzler birdied her final hole to finish 6-over 76 for the day and tied for 16th overall. She shaved five strokes off her first-round score.
Back-to-back pars on 17 and 18 helped Young finish 3-over 75 for the day and in a tie for 20th. He shot 76 on Sunday.
Reach Mike at mike.popovich@cantonrep.com
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