By Don Eskins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The St. Vincent Indians carded a team low 355 to capture this year’s Class 1 Section 1 Golf Championship at the Bill & Payne Stewart Golf Course on Monday.
The Indians, tasting victory in a sectional for the first time in nearly a decade, outdistanced the runner-up Bloomfield Wildcats by 19 strokes. The Cats came in at 374 and were followed by Greenwood at 387 and McAuley who registered a 398.
Getting back into the winners circle at a sectional tournament, after sitting out for almost ten years, was quite a feat for this year’s St. Vincent Indians. Head coach Tom Prost says he’s very proud of the effort his kids have put out this year.”
“Our kids have come a long way and I’m so proud of what they were able to accomplish today,” said Prost. “We finished second last week at district but I knew they could play better, the way they did today, and just look at them now- they’re sectional champions.”
“We wanted to make sure we played better this week at sectionals than we did last week at district,” said St. Vincent’s Blake Bohnert. “So we worked really hard during practices this week.”
While winning the 2019 sectional title did give cause to celebrate the Indians took time to recognize their boss, coach Prost, for the encouragement and leadership he has given them in their effort to get to state this year.
“We couldn’t have done this today without coach Prost,” said the Indian’s Luke Brickhaus. “He’s helped us get through everything this year- both good and bad.”
“He’s the reason we’re here. No matter what the situation he’s always there for us and he helps to keep us together,” said Bohnert. “We wouldn’t be here without him.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE TOURNAMENT
The runner-up Bloomfield Wildcats, who finished third at state last year, will be making it back to the big dance for the second year in a row.
“It feels really great to be going back,” said Wildcat coach Travis Westbrook. “We lost three seniors off last year’s team and not many people thought that we’d be going back as a team this year. But we got some really great contributions from some of our new guys who have played really well for us all year long. I’m really happy for our kids and very proud of what they’ve been able to achieve.”
Sharing top individual honors in this year tournament were Thomas Jefferson’s Owen D’Amour and Lutie’s Kodi Shockey. Both carded scores of 78. Only one stroke back, in third place, was Jefferson’s Aaron Wells who registered a 79.
The Class 1 state tournament will tee off this year in Sedalia on Monday and Tuesday of next week (May13-14).
This year’s Class 1 sectional event will send twenty-two athletes on to state. Both first and second place teams will move on as will the top twelve scores registered by kids not making the trip on a team.
“We had a great tournament today,” said New Covenant Academy golf coach and this year’s sectional tournament manager Mickey Moore. “Section 1 will be sending twenty-two kids on to state. They’re all very competitive kids and kids that I think our section can be very proud of.”
