The Olentangy Liberty boys golf team led after the first day, but Archbishop Hoban stormed from behind on the second to secure a state title during the OHSAA Division I boys state golf championship Monday and Tuesday at the NCR Country Club’s South Course in Kettering.
The Patriots led the Knights by three strokes thanks to a 292 through 18 holes. The second go round proved a bit tougher, though, as Liberty shot a 320 and Hoban had a 300 to finish with a two-day, championship-winning total of 595.
Liberty’s 612 was good enough for second while St. Xavier smoothed out the top three with a 620.
The Patriots used a balanced effort to take a lead halfway through. Noah Andry led the way on the first day, carding a 72. Jackson Harris and Noah Mulford both had 73s while Mitchell Corbin had a 74.
Hoban, meanwhile, got a boost from Chris Pollak, one of four returners from last year’s state runner-up team. Pollak had a two-day total of 142 to win the individual title by two strokes.
Kent Roosevelt’s Liam Curtis was second with a combined 144 while Bellbrook’s C.J. Scohy, St. Xavier’s Michael Stagnaro and Thomas Worthington’s Jack Flores tied for third with 145s.
Harris led Liberty when all was said and done, finishing tied for ninth with a 149. Andry wasn’t far behind — tied for 11th with a 150 — while Mulford finished 17th overall with a 153.
Olentangy’s John McClelland, competing as an individual, was also in action. The senior standout capped his high school career with a two-day total of 158 — a mark good enough to tie for 25th.
In the girls’ D-I state championship over on the North Course, Olentangy’s Meadow Tian and Olentangy Liberty’s Olivia Aronhalt carded solid rounds to earn top-15 finishes.
Tian led the field after Monday’s round, carding a 70, but had to settle for a second-place tie after shooting a 76 on Tuesday. Aronhalt, meanwhile, tied for 12th with a 154.
Sycamore’s Eva Beccerril won the individual title with a combined 143 while Medina Highland’s Elizabeth Coleman tied Tian for runner-up honors with a 146.
Magnificat won the team title with a 618 while Dublin Jerome and New Albany rounded out the top three with respective efforts of 634 and 641.
