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<Br>Staff photo by Jon-Michael Sullivan” href=”http://matchbin-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/public/sites/624/assets/F40V_rgbBoys_County_Second_Day_04_RGB.jpg” rel=”lightbox[18025004]“>slideshowMARIETTA — Walton wasn’t about to let the lead slip through its fingers again.
The Raiders completed Monday’s opening nine holes of the Cobb County Championship clinging to a two shot lead over Lassiter.
But unlike last season, when Hillgrove rallied to defeat the Raiders, Walton not only maintained its advantage, but widened it, shooting a tournament-record 290 to claim its first county championship over 13 other teams Tuesday at City Club Marietta.
All of Walton’s golfers shot in the 70s over the par-71, 5,721-yard course, helping the Raiders to an 11-shot gap over runner-up Lassiter.
Mount Paran Christian (304) was third, followed by Harrison (305), Kell (306) and Whitefield Academy (307). Kennesaw Mountain (309), Hillgrove (322), Walton ‘B’ (322), Allatoona (326), Pope (330), Wheeler (361), Sprayberry (379) and North Cobb (386) rounded out the field. South Cobb did not have enough golfers to earn a team score.
“It feels pretty good to win this,” Walton coach Mike Davidson said. “We finally finished what we started. We had a chance last year, but Hillgrove slipped in and knocked us out of it. But we finished (Tuesday). These guys practice hard at Indian Hills, and I think working hard there really prepared them for this.”
Defending individual medalist John Yi shot Walton’s low round. The sophomore posted a 1-under 70 to tie Whitefield’s Anders Olsson after 18 holes.
Yi and Olsson went into a playoff, and each parred Nos. 1 and No. 9 before darkness suspended play. The two were declared co-champions.
Yi pushed his tee shot right on the first playoff hole, but Olsson also missed right. Both were short of the green with their approach shots, and their pitches onto the green rolled to within 2 feet of the cup before both settled for par.
The second playoff hole was routine, with both Yi and Olsson hitting the fairway. Olsson’s approach landed on the green 10 feet below the hole, while Yi was left with a long birdie putt from above the flag.
Both golfers parred the hole before play was suspended.
“It feels good to defend the championship,” Yi said. “Anders is pretty tough. I thought I didn’t have (the championship) at first, but I hung in there.”
Olsson was also pleased with the way things ended.
“It’s a great feeling to be co-champ competing in this tournament for the first time,” said Olsson, a senior who will play collegiately at Georgia Southwestern State University this fall. “When I heard I’d be competing against John, my heart raced because I’ve played against him before and he’s a great player.”
David Yowell and Connor Edison each shot 73 for Walton, while Matt Flynn and Tanner Landry both had 74s. Michael Sheahan carded a 76.
Lassiter, which won the inaugural county title in 2010, was led by Adam Wright (74), Brody Judd (74), Max Weyrick (74) and Parker Usry (79).
“We didn’t shoot a bad score, but Walton shot lights-out,” Lassiter coach Butch Burden said. “They played well.”
Individually, Whitefield’s Ty Hampel finished third with a 71, while Kennesaw Mountain’s Jonathan Keppler and Mount Paran’s Tyler Young each shot 72 to tie for fourth. Kennesaw Mountain’s Cole Hunsucker, Kell’s Matthew and Michael Hines, Hillgrove’s Kurt Brucker and Mount Paran’s Preston Moore shot 73, while six others shot 74.
Young shot a 1-under 35 on Monday’s front nine to tie for the lowest round, but three bogeys dropped him to a 37 on the back nine. Yi and Olsson both shot even-par 36 Monday and carded 1-under 34s on the back nine.
Yi birdied holes 11 and 12 to go with a bogey on 15. Olsson birdied 13 and birdied the par-4 18th to force the playoff.
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – Yi led Walton wraps up county golf crown
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MARIETTA — Walton has given itself another opportunity to win the Cobb County Invitational.
The Raiders are back in front, shooting a team score of 147 Monday after the first nine holes at the City Club of Marietta.
The Raiders were in a similar position a year ago before Hillgrove came from behind to win the tournament.
Walton may not have to deal with the Hawks this year, but it is not lacking in challengers. Lassiter is sitting second at 149. Kell and Mount Paran are tied for third at 152, and Harrison rounded out the top five at 153.
Walton’s top four players all broke 40 with defending individual champion John Yi shooting even par 36 on the front nine. Tanner Landry shot 37, and David Yowell and Michael Sheahan each shot 38.
Walton also got a boost from Conner Edison, who fired a 1-over 36 on the back nine.
“I’m encouraged,” Walton coach Mike Davidson said. “I learned from last year that it’s not over until its over. We know what has to happen.”
Lassiter’s Adam Wright and Max Weyrick each shot 36 on the front nine to put the Trojans in good position, and Brody Judd added a 37.
“Both (Wright and Weyrick) scored well but did not play well,” Lassiter coach Butch Burden said. “Well, they did play good enough to shoot 36. They gave a couple away but got some breaks as well.”
Defending Class AAAA state champion Michael Hines of Kell settled for a 37after overcoming a double bogey to begin his round.
His younger brother Matthew Hines also shot 37 for Kell and Mark DeCoster shot 38.
“Michael and Matthew didn’t have a great round, but they both have a shot at it,” Kell coach Craig Hines said. “As a team, we could have done better, but we’re still in position.”
Mount Paran’s Tyler Young had the only under-par round with a 35 on the front nine making birdies on the short par-4 second and the par-5 eighth.
Harrison is sitting in fifth behind freshman Jack Mitchell, who shot even-par 35 on the back nine.
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – Raiders grab first nine lead
cwhite@mdjonline.com
The Marietta Daily Journal
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ACWORTH – Not every score counts toward the team total in high school golf, but every player matters.
Just ask Lassiter’s Bart Baukenert.
Baukenert, the Trojans’ No. 6 golfer, struggled to a 101 in Tuesday’s Region 5AAAAA championship at Cobblestone Golf Course. But he sank a 15-foot par putt on the fourth playoff hole help Lassiter beat Walton and clinch the Trojans their first region title in the program’s history.
Lassiter and Walton had completed the par-71, 6,272-yard course with identical team scores of 310 to qualify for the Class AAAAA state championship, which will be held May 2 at the Summit Chase Country Club in Snellville, but the east Cobb rivals still went into a playoff to determine who would take home the title.
Walton fell behind over the first three playoff holes, but got help from Blake Yoder and Zack Weld to extend the rounds.
Just like the team totals over the first 18 holes, the four lowest individual scores combined to give a team total for each playoff hole. The teams continued play as long as they tied a hole.
Weld’s birdie putt on the par-4 10th hole forced the second playoff hole, and Yoder’s par on the 11th and subsequent birdie on No. 10 sent the competition to a fourth playoff.
This time, Walton took the early lead after Tanner Landry parred No. 11 and David Yowell, John Yi and Justin Cobkit all bogeyed. Lassiter’s Michael Toler and Brody Judd parred the hole, but Max Weyrick and Adam Wright each had double bogeys.
The Trojans’ No. 5 golfer, Parker Usry salvaged a par on No. 11, while Weld set himself up for an easy birdie. Weld’s birdie attempt wasn’t needed, however, as Baukenert drained a 15-foot putt up over a slope on the 410-yard No. 11 hole to clinch the title for the Trojans.
“I didn’t think at all that I would be in this situation to win the region championship for my team,” said Baukenert, who nearly missed making the cut in regulation after carding a 16-over par 52 over the front nine, narrowly making the cut of 56.
“My teammates told me that I needed to pull through, and that my score counted, too, so I decided that I’d try to help them out a little bit. I double-bogeyed on the first two playoff holes, so my scores didn’t count and that brought me down, but everybody’s always telling me to keep my head up and try to pull through.
“I just had to play my best shots and focus and see what I could do after that. I got par the next time around on No. 10, and par again on No. 11 to win it for my team. It feels great.”
Lassiter will be making its first appearance in the state playoffs, while Walton returns for the first time since 2008. Etowah (317) was third, followed by Marietta (323), Woodstock (324), Cherokee (363) and Wheeler (388).
“Winning this title just builds on what we’re trying to accomplish,” Lassiter coach Butch Burden said. “Last year, we set the standard by winning our first tournament, and this year our goal was to make it to state. Winning region is just icing on the cake. We got contributions from all of the kids. It goes a long way when your No. 5 and 6 guys are still playing strong at the end to kind of put us over the hump and get us there. It’s an awesome win.
“The boys worked hard. We have six sophomores and one junior, and all of those guys have bought into what we’re trying to do. It paid off for them.”
Lassiter used Weyrick’s 75 and scores from Toler (77), Wright (78) and Judd (80) to produce its 310 team total. Yi (74), Yowell (78), Cobkit (79) and Landry (79) were used for Walton.
“Four playoff holes is pretty amazing,” Walton coach Mike Davidson said. “The kids really came out. Lassiter fought tooth-and-nail, and our kids fought right back. Our No. 5 and No. 6 players held us through those last playoffs holes, so it was exciting and it was a great day of golf.
“It’s big for us to be back in the state tournament. We pride ourselves on that. We finished well at the region. We don’t like that runner-up stuff, but both (Walton and Lassiter) get to go to state, and that’s where the true competition comes out. This was a great tournament (Tuesday).”
Woodstock’s Will Brackett fired a 73 to earn medalist honors, while Yi and Etowah’s David Sullivan (74) tied for second. Weyrick (75) placed fourth, with Toler (77) and Marietta’s Tate Foster (77) tying for fifth.
Woodstock’s Richard Sunnegardh tied Yowell (78), Marietta’s Parks Brown (78) and Wright (78) for seventh. Three other players, Marietta’s Zach Foster (79) and Walton teammates Cobkit (79) and Landry (79), also shot under 80. Patrick Wheeler (90) had the lowest score for Wheeler.
Copyright 2011 The Marietta Daily Journal. All rights reserved.
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – Trojans go 22 to take region
cwhite@mdjonline.com
The Marietta Daily Journal
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MARIETTA – Walton has two good reasons to be excited heading into today’s final round of the Cobb County Golf Championship.
That’s because the Raiders have the two lowest team scores following Monday’s nine-hole opening round of the second annual event, being played over the par-71 , 5,721-yard course at the City Club of Marietta.
Despite wet and cold conditions, Walton (A) concluded the day leading the 12-team field with a score of 151, while the Walton (B) group carded 154. Hillgrove (158) is third followed by defending champion Lassiter (159) and Pope (159).
“The guys really played well (Monday),” Walton coach Mike Davidson said. “I’m tickled that they all shot as well as they did. I’m surprised we were able to play at all because a lot of the other area courses closed because of the weather, but our guys went out there and got it done despite the tough conditions.
“We’re looking forward to (today). Hopefully, it won’t rain and the temperatures will warm up. These other teams are tough, so it’s far from over. Nothing matters until you finish because one day can make the difference. We’re going to have to be as consistent (today) as we were (Monday) if we want to win.”
Kennesaw Mountain (161), Allatoona (162), Walker (165), Wheeler (169), Sprayberry (191) and North Cobb (203) round out the field. South Cobb did not post a team score after one of its golfers withdrew from the event.
“I thought we were able to have a good round (Monday),” Sprayberry coach John Northington said. “I was surprised at first that we were playing at all, and then I was really surprised at how well the course held up with all of the water. It didn’t give up a lot of good scores, but there are still some pretty good scores right around par.
“Par is close to what it’s going to take to win it, and a score of about 300 to 305 for the team to win it. It should be a good day (today) as long as we can get some good weather again.”
Individually, Hillgrove’s Matt McKagen has the overall lead after carding an even-par 36 over the front nine.
“I really didn’t play that well,” McKagen said. “I got lucky on a couple of holes and didn’t put good. I just scrambled through it.”
Pope’s Kevin Fraser and Walton’s Colin McBride each fired a 1-over 36 over the back nine. Raider teammates John Yi and Tanner Landry each shot 1-over 37 across the front nine as did Hillgrove’s Jeff Pickens, who is the defending medalist. Sprayberry’s Travis Lastra was also 1-over 37 across the front nine.
Pickens should be the overall leader with a 1-under 35, but the senior, who birdied three of his first four holes signed an incorrect scorecard which had him double-bogeying the par-5 eighth when he actually parred the hole.
“I performed well,” he said. “I had been struggling coming into this week, but I think this course suits my game and I shot even-par 71 last year. So, coming in I knew I had a little comfort with the greens and the distances, and I ended up doing a great round. I just got into a little trouble at the end which was my fault.
“I’m disappointed about the scorecard situation, but it is what it is. You sign for what you sign for and I did what I did. I’m going to come out (today) and I’m going to win it.”
Copyright 2011 The Marietta Daily Journal. All rights reserved.
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – Walton in front after cold Day 1
Marietta Daily Journal Sports, Thursday, March 3, 2011
Walton 164, Sequoyah 172: While David Yowell fell one stroke shy of low-medalist honors, his Raiders did emerge with the team prize in their season-opening match at Bradsaw Farms Golf Club in Canton.
Yowell shot 1-over 37 and was followed by John Yi’s 39, Tanner Landry’s 43 and Blake Yoder’s 45.
