The Knights will defend their state championship at NorthStar Golf Club in Sunbury. Last year the Knights shot consecutive rounds of 309 to win by 16 strokes on the Ohio State Scarlet Course. Davis Gochenouer, now a senior, is the defending individual champion. He shot rounds of 72 and 76 for a 148 total last year. Teammate T.J. Kreusch, now a junior, was runner-up with rounds of 77 and 73 for a 150 total.
But head coach Alex Schuster said there is no added pressure on Gochenouer and Kreusch to lead the field again for the Knights to have a chance to repeat and win the program’s sixth state title. At the sectional and district tournaments, all five golfers shot in the 70s. Only the top four count toward the team score.
“The kids are at a point where they know there’s not more pressure on any one of them.,” Schuster said. “I’m not depending on one guy to put up a really low number. I’m expecting them to go out and play their kind of golf. If everybody beats the guys you’re playing with, we’re going to end up with good numbers more often than not.”
Also back from last year’s state winner is junior Grady Tabar, who put up Alter’s fourth score at state last year with rounds of 86 and 80. He shot 77 at districts. New in the lineup are brothers of the top two players on the team. Andrew Gochenouer, a sophomore, shot 75 at districts and was the alternate on last year’s state team. Matthew Kreusch, a freshman, shot 72 at districts for the Knights’ second-best score behind Davis Gochenouer’s 70.
“All five of these guys are just really, really playing great golf as we’ve closed out the season,” Schuster said. “It’s a healthy competition between them, and they’re all there ready to help the team win, first and foremost, and obviously to put up good numbers themselves to maybe get individual recognition.”
Graham senior Grant Woodruff will play as an individual. He was third qualifier after shooting a 73 and winning a playoff.
Division II girls: Alter sophomore Lauren Miller is coming off a 69 that won the district title. She played at state with her team last year and shot rounds of 82 and 81 to finish 13th. The girls play again on the Ohio State Gray Course.
“She’ll be ready,” second-year Alter coach Jim Cole said. “She’s focused on trying to make the most of this moment, and she’s focused on getting better as a player, which she’s done from freshman to sophomore year. This is a challenge for her, and I think she’ll be ready.”
Cole says Miller’s biggest improvement is her short game.
“She’s always been able to drive the ball – she can absolutely crush it at times,” he said. “But her chipping has gotten better, and he’s really improved her putting. She’s got some good swing coaches, and her dad’s an excellent player and helps her a lot. She’s got good people around her, and she’s improved from it.”
Fenwick won the district tournament and will compete for the team title. This is the Falcons’ third state appearance in four years.
Boys Division III: At the Ohio State Scarlet Course, Russia will play in its first state tournament after finishing second in last week’s district tournament. The Raiders shot 329 as a team and were led by senior Felix Francis’ 77. He was backed by senior Jude Counts at 82, junior Braylon Conrdonnier at 84 and junior Vince Borchers at 86.
Competing as individuals will be Houston senior Ethan Lukey and Botkins senior J.J. Meyer.
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