Carson Ritz, Adrian win Lenawee County boys golf titles
ADRIAN — When Adrian's Carson Ritz won the Lenawee County boys golf title in 2021, he thought it was the first many.
He certainly didn't think he he'd have to wait until his senior year to win his second title.
"Not ideally," Ritz said. "My sophomore year I had a pretty good chance. I thought coming into today it would be nice to come with a win and go out with a win."
Ritz did finally win his second county title, this one at The Hills of Lenawee, shooting a 2-over-par 74 to defeat Tecumseh junior Grant Simpson by a single shot.
Ritz's day started slow with two bogeys in the first two holes, but he shot a birdie on eight, 10 and 14. He took the lead on 16 with a par after Simpson double-bogeyed.
"I know this course better than any other player," Ritz said. "Grant had that big number on 16 and I knew that could happen and I stayed in it."
Ritz and Simpson were paired with each along with Clinton's Jacob Rothman and Madison's Lucas Dopp, so the two knew where each other stood against one another and knew they were probably the front-runners for the title.
On 18, Ritz bogeyed to make it a one-shot advantage when Simpson's birdie try on 18 narrowly missed to secure the victory.
"I knew it was me vs. him most of the day," Ritz said. "Two feet away I thought he made it. I was ready to go back and play 18 again, which I did not want to do. I don't like the tee shot on 18. I was ready to play, but fortunately he missed."
Rounding out the top-10 was Adrian junior Cayden Staib with a 77, Britton Deerfield's Logan Shiels shot a 78, Lenawee Christian's Connor Parisien shot a 79, Dopp shot an 80, Rothman shot an 81, Tecumseh's Blake LaJiness and Hudson's Austin Marry and Adrian's Cooper Howard each shot an 84.
Not only did Ritz win the individual title, but he helped lead the Maples to their first team county title in recent history, ending Tecumseh's run of four-straight dating back to 2019.
"I know it's been quite awhile (since Adrian won)," coach Jordan Kelly said. "I told (athletic director Chad O'Brien) we have to look it up. It was nice to see everyone play well at one time. We haven't had a tournament or even a match where we got every going on the same page. It was nice to see everyone get after it today."
Adrian shot a 321 while Tecumseh was second at 332 followed by Clinton (342), Blissfield (363), Lenawee Christian (370), Onsted (375), Hudson (387), Madison (388), Britton Deerfield (421) and Sand Creek (469).
"Carson is such a great leader on top of a wonderful player," Kelly said. "It was nice to see Harrison (Boyd) play well, he's only a sophomore. Cooper (Howard) is only a freshman and Staib will be back next year and he'll get better and better."
Perhaps this season is the first of an Adrian run of county tournament titles.
"Hopefully," Kelly said. "That's what we're looking for."
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian, Carson Ritz win Lenawee County boys golf championships
