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Prepper golfers take third straight state crown
(by Steve Novak - October 22, 2008)
Prepper golfers take third straight state crown
By STEVE NOVAK
University School's golf team is etching its name in history.
The Prepper garnered their third consecutive state championship and fifth in school history, tying them for third place in total state titles.
US won the tourney by 20 strokes. A lot of people might have thought that the Preppers had the title wrapped up after the first day of the tournament on Oct. 10. They already had a lead of nine strokes after the first 18 holes of play at Ohio State University's golf course.
But US coach Bill O'Neil looked at things differently after the first day of competition.
"Nine strokes isn't that much of a lead," he said. "We treat it as two different matches. It didn't affect us at all. We just go at it as if it were a separate match on both days."
As it turned out, US increasing its lead and won by 20 strokes over second-place Dayton Chaminade.
Leading the way for the Preppers was Mac McLaughin, one of the seniors on the team. He finished first among his teammates and second overall in the match with a two-day total of 152 on the Scarlet Course. He had 78 the first day and 74 the following day.
Next was sophomore Scott Smith, who shot 78 on Friday and 76 on Saturday and came in fourth with a score of 154.
Junior Mike Fazio came in 13th with a 162, an 83 the first day and a 79 the second day.
In 16th place was Ben Bold with a two-day total of 163. Right behind him in 17th place was Jake Heinen with a 164.
O'Neil said this year's season was markedly different from the 2007 season when the Preppers won their second straight state crown.
"We had to be more patient this year," he said. "It was different than last year because Mac McLaughlin wasn't with us at our early matches in August. He was playing in tournaments for much of the summer.
"Also, we didn't have Ben Bold for about five weeks," O'Neil said. "He had an inflammation of his back."
But what the Preppers did have was depth. Even without McLaughlin and Bold being at every match, the Preppers won five matches during the regular season and came in second in another match. Among the matches they won were the Hudson Invitational and the Windmill Invitational. They were second at the Medina tournament.
McLaughlin, a four-year varsity player, will graduate in June, along with seniors Ben Bold and Greg Pollock.
However, O'Neil said he's relatively confident of another good season in 2009, both because of the underclassmen on this year's team, and because of the successful season which the University junior varsity team had in 2008.
Also, after all, O'Neil did have a sophomore, Scott Smith, finish in fourth place in the state final. Even as a freshman, Smith distinguished himself by finishing 14th place in the state.
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