Hanover-Horton Ties Up 1st Title Since '93
June 9, 2018
By Keith Dunlap
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING – It was fitting that the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Boys Golf Finals took place on the same day as the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, because Hanover-Horton and Big Rapids had a photo finish.
The two were tied after Friday’s first day at Forest Akers West with identical scores of 321, and then walked in from the course after Saturday’s second round having each shot scores of 330 to finish with a final total of 651.
So the figurative photo finish was the fifth-golfer tiebreaker, and that went the way of Hanover-Horton, which won its first MHSAA boys golf title since 1993.
“Mother Nature had a lot to say about today,” Hanover-Horton coach Mike Brockie said after watching his team survive a day full of rain, adding that what helped his team was that it played in a tournament at Forest Akers West about a month under weather conditions that were just as poor with a steady rain all day.
“You had casual water on the greens,” Brockie said. “My boys are somewhat mudders. I have a couple mudders, and I have a couple that would prefer not to play in this. But I tell my kids that you have to turn this weather into an asset, and I had three kids that did.”
Leading the way for Hanover-Horton was senior Brody Spink, who shot a two-day total of 159 (76-83).
Senior Garret Spink was right behind with a 161 (82-79), sophomore Brogan Brockie had a 164 (83-81), sophomore Jack Brockie shot a 167 (85-82) and freshman Kyler Rod finished at 182 (93-89).
Ultimately, it was Rod’s 89 that proved the difference, as that total was two shots better than the 91 shot by Big Rapids’ fifth golfer.
The Cardinals were led by junior Pierce Morrissey, a Michigan State-committed recruit who won the medalist honor with a final total of 147 (70-77).
“I struggled a little bit, and I wasn’t able to execute on a couple of shots that I hit real well,” Morrissey said. “The weather came into effect a little bit, and I finished out with the game I had today.”
Junior Owen Seay shot a 156 (74-82), senior Fletcher Boida had a 167 (85-82) and senior Benjamin Faith shot a 181 (92-89) additionally for Big Rapids.
In 2008, Big Rapids won the Division 3 title via the fifth-golfer tiebreaker, but was on the other side 10 years later.
“We played (Hanover-Horton) a couple of different times, and it has always been tight,” Big Rapids coach Mark Posey said. “You play in tournaments like this, and you know every stroke is going to count.”
Posey said there were no weather-related instructions that needed to be given to his team before Saturday’s play started.
“You are playing Michigan golf, and you get that experience playing in all sorts of weather, especially being from Northern Michigan. “My boys were prepared and ready to go. They knew they had to take their time and be patient. I’m really proud of the way that they hung in there today. They really fought their way through out there and didn’t give away any strokes. They kept at it.”
Grosse Ile was third with a 660, Grand Rapids South Christian shot a 669 to finish fourth, and Jackson Lumen Christi and Grand Rapids West Catholic tied for fifth with a 673.
Individually, Grand Rapids West Catholic senior Anderson Ryan finished second with a 150 (76-74), and Jackson Lumen Christi junior Tanner Schnell was third with a 153 (75-78).
PHOTOS: (Top) Hanover-Horton’s Brody Spink watches one of his drives during Friday’s first round of the LP Division 3 Final. (Middle) Big Rapids’ Pierce Morrissey pumps a fist after making a putt. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Stretch Run, Sand Save Seal DeWitt Title
June 6, 2015
By Mark Meyer
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING – Standing in a greenside bunker at the 18th hole and staring at perhaps one of the most important shots of his high school career, DeWitt senior Geoffry Croley calmly grabbed his sand wedge and helped seal his team’s MHSAA title in dramatic fashion.
Croley’s unlikely birdie – a one-hopper off the flagstick and into the cup – was one of several key title-savers for the Panthers, who edged Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 594-595, to win the Division 2 championship at Forest Akers East on Saturday afternoon.
Croley’s younger brother, freshman Joey, rolled in a par putt on his last hole (the 16th) and earned a big pat on the back from coach Dave Koenigsknecht.
“A lot of big shots down the stretch, because we knew it was going to be tight,” said Koenigsknecht, whose team finished seventh last year. “We didn’t get off to a great start, but the kids battled all day and hung on at the end.”
Senior Owen Beyer, who shot a medalist round of 5-under-par 67 on Friday, led the Panthers with a two-day total of 2-under-par 142. Geoffry Croley finished three shots back at 145, Joey Croley carded a 153 and junior Ian Helm finished at 155. Senior Mike Coscarelli counted a 79 Saturday and finished at 160 for the two days.
The MHSAA title was the third in six years for DeWitt, which also captured Division 2 championships in 2010 and 2011.
“Ian Helm, Mike Coscarelli and Joey Croley have really improved in the past couple of weeks,” Koenigsknecht said. “As they started to shoot some scores in the 70s, their confidence picked up and made us a much better team heading into regionals.”
Walking down the fairway at the par-3 18th hole, Geoffry Croley was hoping to get up and down in two shots from the bunker.
“I knew we were close (with Cranbrook Kingswood) and had a feeling it might come down to the last hole,” Croley said. “I picked my spot, the ball took one hop, hit the stick and the tears started falling faster than the ball could hit the hole. What a special way to end the season.”
Senior Dylan Deogun led runner-up Cranbrook Kingswood with a 3-under-par 141 while sophomore Devin Deogun shot 145. Sophomore Wyatt Fryckman (154) and senior Matt Jacobs (155) completed the scoring for the Cranes, who were the defending champions and top-ranked team in Division 2 entering the Final.
Junior Spencer Schab led third-place Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (603) with a 146 while senior Trevor Goslin carded a 144 (69-75) for fourth-place Dearborn Divine Child (605).
Hamilton senior Nick Carlson won his second individual Finals title by shooting an 8-under-par 64 to finish the tournament at 10-under-par 134.
“Yesterday (Friday) I didn’t have a whole lot right going for me, but today was the opposite,” said Carlson, who is headed to the University of Michigan. “I chipped in from 40 yards out on the 11th hole for birdie and made a 50-footer on the eighth hole, again for birdie. It was one of those days when a lot of very good things happened.
“If I didn’t hit a good drive or good approach, I was able to chip it close and save a shot here and there.”
Carlson won the Division 2 title as a freshman in 2012 and finished second the past two seasons, including last year at Forest Akers West.
“This last week of golf was the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” Carlson said. “I was loose, relaxed and really enjoying where I was at. On the last hole I just wanted to soak it all up and savor the moment.”
Hamilton coach Kevin Arnold has been watching Carlson play at Diamond Springs Golf Course in Hamilton since he was 5 years old.
“A real pleasure to coach and a fine young man,” Arnold said. “I didn’t do much for Nick other than to act as a sounding board for occasional advice. He’s worked long and hard to get to this point and I’m very happy for him. He deserves all the accolades because he’s worked hard to get to this point.”
PHOTOS: (Top) DeWitt’s Geoffry Croley watches his birdie chip on No. 18 on Saturday; it fell into the cup and helped decide the Division 2 title in the Panthers’ favor. (Middle) Hamilton’s Nick Carlson smiles after receiving his championship medal, the second of his career. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).