Breezing through the Pines: Hudson, Hoban boys golf battle for district title

HINCKLEY — The final quartet at the Division I boys district golf tournament felt like a perfect set up.

Archbishop Hoban's three-time All-Ohioan Jack Vojtko teed off with Suburban League player of year Ben Fauver of Hudson with both teams looking to reach Columbus.

Over the years, however, Pine Hills Golf Club has shattered many state dreams. Cold temperatures and wind gusts of 25 mph Monday ensured any result was possible.

So the fact both teams shot below 300 was remarkable.

A rough final hole by Vojtko allowed Fauver to give Hudson a razor-thin 298-299 win at Pine Hills, ending a four-year state drought for the Explorers. Defending state champion St. Ignatius (301), Green (305) and Jackson (307) also advanced to the state tournament.

Hudson's boys golfers end state drought; Hoban laments 'sloppy' round

After being disqualified at last year's district, Fauver left nothing to chance. His primary goal was not to win the tournament but send Hudson back to Columbus.

"I checked [the score] like 10 times. It was not going to be wrong," Fauver said. "I knew that my team was playing really well, which just freed me up to do my thing."

Battling a tough back nine, Fauver finished with a 4-over 75. However, just like the final Suburban League tournament, it was little brother Ben Fauver who led Hudson, tying for third individually with a 1-under 70.

"I just tried to stay patient, trust my teammate and take in one shot at time," he said. "The wind makes this course infinitely tougher. You've just got to know where it is all times, pick a target and stick to it."

Callahan Lawler (74) and Jerry Du (79) each broke 80 for Hudson.

"We're ecstatic," said Hudson coach Matt Villenauve. "After the heartbreak that happened here last year, it felt like unfinished business. Hats off to our top three guys doing exactly what they need to do, which is what they've done for the last six weeks."

While there was joy in Hudson's camp, Hoban was lukewarm on its performance. Vojtko and coach Quinn Parker called the Knights' play sloppy.

Vojtko tied for third with a 70, but lamented not finishing with a par on 18.

"I played a lot of sloppy golf," Vojtko said. "I was pretty frustrated with myself. I needed to par on 18, but just hit an OK shot and just didn't hit a great chip. Us group of guys hold ourselves to a very high standard."

"Our goal is to go down to Columbus and have a chance on the second day," Parker said. "We have the ability to do that now. We unfortunately played not out best golf today, but that's OK. It's a learning experience and will be better in a week and a half down at the Scarlett Course."

Hoban also got scoring rounds from Chris Pollak (73), Braden Herstich (77) and Ray Dress (79).

St. Ignatius senior Bradley Chill won medalist honors with a round of 68.

"I just try to play my own game," Chill said. "I didn't look at the scoreboard. I just tried to limit my mistakes and play boring golf."

Big day for Kyle Smith leads Green boys golf back to state

While Hudson, Hoban and Ignatius battled it out in the final groups, Green staked its claim to Columbus early in the day.

Bulldogs senior Kyle Smith earned a runner-up finish with a round of 69.

"It feels really good," Smith said. "The win is a huge factor trying to determining which shots to take. It probably hurt a lot of guys. You've got to just keep fighting. My long iron were really good today."

"Kyle was my horse all year," said Green coach Greg Andrego. "The conditions were hard. The golf course is always difficult, but my boys stepped up today. I had three 70s on the day. They were grinding all day. It's kind of cool because we've got so many seniors."

Evan Raymond (78), Silas Kirkpatrick (79) and Brady Trejbal (80) also scored for Green.

Jackson earned a trip to state with ease, as the Polar Bears finished 18 strokes ahead of University School for the final state spot.

Jordan Kish, son of Jackson coach Jim Kish, led the Polar Bears with round of 72.

"The wind can really make this course difficult," Jim Kish said. "Once we made the turn, then my kids calmed down a little bit. There was bit of space to between the five teams, so it was nice to see a bit of cushion there."

Ethan Kasler shot a 75, Maxwell Weber a 77 and Aidan Loy an 83 for Jackson.

Three Greater Akron boys golfers earn individual state berths

Greater Akron also grabbed three individual state spots from Hinckley, as the top five golfers not on state-bound teams advanced.

Walsh Jesuit's Anthony Spain was the top individual qualifier with a 72, followed by Westlake's Sion Park (74) and Kent Roosevelt's Liam Curtis (75).

"It was cold, but I like this course," Spain said. "It just suits me well and I was confident. I don't know why, but I always just seem to play well here."

"I hit a few bad shots coming in," Curtis said. "Obviously, it's nerves. That's going to happen, so I've got to learn how to deal with them better."

Curtis' nerves were nothing compared to Stow-Munroe Falls' AJ Halsne, who shot a round of 77 and found himself in a four-way playoff for the final two state spots.

On the first hole, Halsne sunk what he called "the biggest putt of my life," draining a 15-footer for par to send him to his first state tournament. Strongsville's Vincent Borros also advanced.

"It was probably the most stressful putt of my life," Halsne said. "It went on a break right to left, did a 180 around the cup and went in. It was scary."

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Pine Hills stages battle between Hudson and Hoban boys golf