Flyers generate tournament win to claim NBC trophy

By: 
J. Patrick Eaken

In a close finish, Lake won the Northern Buckeye Conference boys golf title with 43 points over second place Otsego (41) and third place Eastwood (39).

In the final team standings, Genoa finished fourth with 30 points, followed by Woodmore (24), Elmwood (21), and Rossford (6). The point totals include finishes at four nine-hole shootouts and an 18-hole tournament,

Lake did not win a single league shootout, but during the league tournament at Green Hills Golf Course in Clyde, the Flyers scored 349 to defeat second place Otsego (359), giving the Flyers the overall points championship. 

The first shootout at Maumee Bay State Park in Jerusalem Township was won by Otsego (178), the second at Lakeland, near Fostoria, was won by Eastwood (171), the third at Birch Run in North Baltimore was also won by Eastwood (177) and the fourth at Crosswinds in Perrysburg Township was won by Genoa (161). But the 18-hole league championship victory pushed the Flyers over the top.

“Our shootouts we went second at Lakeland, second at Maumee Bay, and second at Birch Run, so the last one was at Crosswinds, so I thought with our numbers we could win that shootout. We ended up taking third because we lost it on a tiebreaker to Otsego,” Lake coach Mike DeStazio said. “Then Eastwood finished fourth in that shootout, so all of a sudden, here we are in a three-way tie going into that 18-hole match. It was all or none, so I told the kids, ‘It’s our turn to be first.’ I kind of downplayed that. I thought somewhat we were the underdog because we never won a shootout. So, I played that card.”

DeStazio, in his second season at Lake, started the season with 17 players but cut to 10 by the time the season started.

“Everybody was back except maybe two kids, so we ended up our top six kids were two seniors, three juniors and a sophomore,” DeStazio said.

Still, from top to bottom, DeStazio felt he had the best team as far as depth once his No. 4 and No. 5 golfers kicked in.

“Basically, my one, two and three probably could play any of those two spots. Myles Lowe plays the one man, Ben Luoma is the two-man and Chase Osborn is the three-man. Those three could interchange at any time and they are all three pretty much the same,” DeStazio said.

“Ben struggled early on so I put him in the two-spot, hoping it would take some pressure off. So, we felt that we possibly have the best team in the league one through three. Our fourth player, sophomore Ryan Wagner, has really come on, and then I thought, ‘Wow, we are good.’ I was not downgrading any other teams. I looked at one through four and I thought we were the best team in the league. “

 DeStazio has now won league championships at three NBC schools — Lake, Genoa, and Woodmore in various sports.

“I have no problem with saying I can relate to the kids. And when you do that, you have great repoire with the kids. You get the best out of them. That’s the way I’ve coached, always,” DeStazio said.

“What is really interesting I am old enough to be their grandparents, and their parents are my daughter’s age, and I’m still hanging around.”

At the NBC tournament, Eastwood shot 364 to finish third, followed by Genoa (368), Woodmore (378) and Elmwood (380). Rossford had only three golfers participate and did not have a team score.

Lake was led at the tournament by Luoma, who was medalist, shooting 40-39-79. Wagner shot 42-44-86, followed by Lowe (46-44-90), Walsh (43-51-94), Osborn (47-48-95) and Carson DeLauter (54-57-111).

“Needless to say, the kids played pretty darned good in that wind. It was a treacherous day of golf, I’ll tell you. We won it by 10 strokes and Ben was medalist and what a time for a senior to step up. I’m proud of this group of kids,” DeStazio said.

Tristan Schuerman was the top golfer for the Eagles, finishing fourth with a 43-41-84. Other Eastwood golfers were Trent Marten (42-50-92), Zach Buehler (43-50-93), Lucas Gallaher (49-46-95), Ethan Patchett (51-46-97) and Edelbrock (56-46-102).

For Genoa, NBC Player of the Year Jake Ewerson was tournament runner-up, shooting 42-38-80. Other Comets were Jon Huston (49-42-91), Isaac Ewerson (49-49-98), Alex Large (52-47-99), Caleb Klatt (50-55-105) and Nathan Partin (55-50-105).

Woodmore’s Aaron Miller and Duane Perkins finished third and fourth, scoring 42-40-82 and 43-41-84. Other Wildcat golfers were Tristan Haas (49-51-100), Carsen Szakovits (61-51-112), Brock Perry (71-63-134) and Jack Morris (70-69-139).

 

 

 

 

 

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