High temps and high drama. Individual title goes to playoff, team title decided by a stroke.
CARMEL -- On most 90-plus degree days, Aidan Gutierrez probably could have kicked back following his 5-under par round and let his overall 2-under par score stand as the tournament’s best as the rest of the competition finished with tongues dragging in the sweltering afternoon heat.
But Gutierrez, a sophomore from Valparaiso, knew Cathedral senior Ryan Ford was lurking on the second and final day of the IHSAA boys golf state tournament Wednesday at Prairie View Golf Club. “I know what kind of firepower he has,” Gutierrez said. Ford, playing the front nine last, proved it with six birdies in a seven-hole span, including a clutch birdie putt on No. 8 and a par on No. 9 to force a playoff.
“That was probably the best nine holes I’ve played under the circumstances,” said Ford, a University of Cincinnati recruit.
It took three playoff holes, but Gutierrez finally knocked off Ford with a birdie on the par-5 No. 18 (the players repeated No. 18 on all three playoff holes) to become the first state champion from Valparaiso since Gary Krueger in 1979. On each playoff hole, Gutierrez hit the driver and then went for the green from about 250 yards out with a 3-iron. Twice, he made it to the green. He hit a long putt two feet from the hole on the third playoff hole and tapped in for the victory.
That prompted a celebration with his sixth-grade sister, Kennedy, that was part handshake-part dance. “You’ll probably see her up here in a few years,” Gutierrez said. “She’s better than I am.” That is saying a lot considering the round he played Wednesday. Gutierrez finished with six birdies (seven counting the playoff) and just one bogey.
On every playoff hole, Gutierrez was roughly 250 yards away after his drive. With a creek in front of the green and a bunker just beyond the creek, most players — Ford included — laid up in front of the creek. Gutierrez went for the green every time with his 3-iron. The only time he missed, he was in the bunker and able to get out for par.
“That’s my favorite club,” Gutierrez said of the 3-iron. “I nicknamed it ‘250 automatic.’ I love that club. I went driver, 3-iron every time and put it on the front of the green every time but once.”
The chase for the team title was just as intense. The lead seesawed between Guerin Catholic and Westfield all day. Guerin led by four shots going into the day, but Westfield went ahead by as many as 10 strokes Wednesday morning. By the time the final group walked the fairway on No. 18, the programs — after battling back and forth all season — were dead even.
Guerin Catholic’s Jacob Modleski hit his sand wedge from about 112 yards within two feet of the hole and putted in for birdie. Westfield’s Alec Cesare finished with par on 18 to give Guerin Catholic a one-stroke victory and its first state championship. The title came one year after Guerin was second by one stroke to Center Grove at state.
“Normally that’s a little bit far for a sand wedge,” Modleski said. “But the ball was flying a little bit further today and the adrenaline certainly gave me a couple extra yards, too.”
Before Modleski reached the fairway, his teammate, Connor McNeely putted for birdie to pull Guerin Catholic even with Westfield. It was not the best day personally for McNeely, who shot an 80 after leading with a 71 Tuesday, but he came up big in a clutch moment.
“Our talk with six holes left was just to remind ourselves how good we play the last six holes,” Guerin Catholic coach Mark Mathews said. “A couple tournaments back, we shot 9-under the last six holes. So we know how to do that. It’s not where we want to be, but we know how to do it. Knowing my guys know how to handle that down the stretch is pretty special.”
Mathews started to approach Modleski to let him know the team situation before his chip on 18. “He said, ‘I don’t want to know anything,’” Mathews said. “‘Just help me with the shot.’ He’s a smart kid.”
Modleski fired a 1-under par 71 to finished tied for fifth with Noblesville’s Will Perkins, who shot a second-round 68. Fort Wayne Carroll senior Hunter Melton and New Castle’s Derek Tabor tied for third at 1-under for the tournament, one shot behind Gutierrez and Ford.
Others on the podium were Warsaw senior Callen Hoskins and Leo sophomore Justin Hicks (tied for seventh at 146), Zionsville junior Adam Melliere (ninth at 147) and Guerin Catholic sophomore Leo Wessel and Westfield freshman Jake Cesare (tied for 10th at 148).
Guerin Catholic shot a 602 to Westfield’s 603. Hamilton Southeastern was third at 615.
It was a memorable day for Ford, who suffered leg cramps starting with the final two holes of his round and into the playoff.
“On those last nine holes, I just started sticking everything,” he said. “I had four (birdies) in a row, bogeyed six and then birdies seven and eight. It felt like everything was on. It was awesome. I can’t be mad about how I played or anything. It was great. (Gutierrez) kept hitting great shots (in the playoff). He’s a great player.”
>> Silver Creek's Carter Smith was named the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award winner. Smith finished the two rounds at +14, and tied for 39th place.
IHSAA boys golf state finals par Scores
Wednesday
At Prairie View Golf Course
Yardage: 6,991; Par 72
Final Round
Team scores: 1. Guerin Catholic 602, 2. Westfield 603, 3. Hamilton Southeastern 615, 4. Cathedral, Silver Creek (tie) 627, 6. Bloomington South 631, 7. Valparaiso 633, 8. Warsaw 637, 9. Leo 638, 10. Noblesville 641, 11. Evansville North 642, 12. Penn 660, 13. Jasper 665, 14. Covenant Christian 679, 15. Evansville Memorial 717.
Individual scores
x-won on third playoff hole
x-Aidan Gutierrez, Valparaiso 75-67 - 142 -2
Ryan Ford, Cathedral 74-68 - 142 -2
Hunter Melton, FW Carroll 72-71 - 143 -1
Derek Tabor, New Castle 76-67 - 143 -1
Will Perkins, Noblesville 77-68 - 145 +1
Jacob Modleski, Guerin Catholic 74-71 - 145 +1
Callen Hoskins, Warsaw 77-69 - 146 +2
Justin Hicks, Leo 74-72 - 146 +2
Adam Melliere, Zionsville 73-74 - 147 +3
Leo Wessel, Guerin Catholic 76-72 - 148 +4
Jake Cesare, Westfield 74-74 - 148 +4
Brayden Miller, Fairfield 77-72 - 149 +5
Peyton Blackard, Gibson Southern 73-76 - 149 +5
Cody Coleman, Silver Creek 72-77 - 149 +5
Lane Zedrick, Hamilton SE 78-72 - 150 +6
Alec Cesare, Westfield 79-71 - 150 +6
Thomas Broshears, Ev. Memorial 76-75 - 151 +7
Will Harvey, Westfield 74-77 - 151 +7
Connor McNeely, Guerin Catholic 71-80 - 151 +7
Happy Gilmore, Bloomington South 76-75 - 151 +7
AJ Agnew, Borden 79-74 - 153 +9
Daymian Rij, Ev. North 77-76 - 153 +9
Cole Starnes, Hamilton SE 78-75 - 153 +9
Isaac Embry, Crown Point 80-73 - 153 +9
Connor Byon, Bloomington South 77-76 - 153 +9
Luke Johnston, Ev. North 77-77 - 154 +10
Caleb Schnarr, Jasper 73-81 - 154 +10
Cam Kooi, Westfield 76-78 - 154 +10
Brock Reschly, Northridge 78-77 - 155 +11
Dillon Bergun, New Castle 76-80 - 156 +12
Andrew Rowen, Center Grove 78-78 - 156 +12
Ian Reed, Greenwood Christian 80-76 - 156 +12
Jordan Huxford, Hamilton SE 77-79 - 156 +12
Tyler Marcinko, Hamilton SE 78-78 - 156 +12
Rocco Browning, Cathedral 79-77 - 156 +12
Connor McMillan, Fishers 79-78 - 157 +13
Ian Perry, Plainfield 79-78 - 157 +13
Owen Sander, Carmel 76-81 - 157 +13
Carter Smith, Silver Creek 78-80 - 158 +14
Zach Thieme, Guerin Catholic 78-80 - 158 +14
Ray Filter, Crown Point 73-86 - 159 +15
Preston Boce, Covenant Christian 80-79 - 159 +15
Wesson Opliger, Leo 81-78 - 159 +15
Colin Danzi, Valparaiso 79-81 - 160 +16
Rob Politza, Valparaiso 80-80 - 160 +16
Luke Graston, Silver Creek 78-82 - 160 +16
Nolan Hall, Westfield 81-79 - 160 +16
Luke Schneider, Columbus North 79-81 - 160 +16
William Pruitt, Bishop Chatard 79-82 - 161 +17
Seth Hooe, Silver Creek 85-76 - 161 +17
Isaac Rorick, Leo 85-77 - 162 +18
William Davis, Columbus North 79-83 - 162 +18
Ryan Islam, Gibson Southern 82-80 - 162 +18
Brady Mangin, Noblesville 81-82 - 163 +19
Ryan Hahaj, Penn 81-82 - 163 +19
Jaxon Gould, Warsaw 81-82 - 163 +19
Jacob Paine, Bloomington South 76-87 - 163 +19
Alex Peck, Noblesville 83-81 - 164 +20
Maddox Snyder, Penn 80-84 - 164 +20
Tyler Lacy, Hamilton SE 80-84 - 164 +20
Aiden Storms, Cathedral 84-80 - 164 +20
Scotty Smith, Guerin Catholic 84-80 - 164 +20
Nickolas Bellush, Bloomington South 79-85 - 164 +20
Jack Urbanski, Penn 85-80 - 165 +21
Peyton Butler, Ev. North 83-82 - 165 +21
Ben Brander, Warsaw 84-81 - 165 +21
Owen Kruschwitz, Manchester 81-84 - 165 +21
Jake Cerar, Cathedral 86-80 - 166 +22
Daniel Moore, Jasper 80-87 - 167 +23
Dylan Mounts, Penn 88-80 - 168 +24
Jake Davis, Covenant Christian 81-87 - 168 +24
Rory Bushong, Noblesville 82-87 - 169 +25
Brody Sorrell, Ev. North 86-84 - 170 +26
Luke Shappard, Jasper 89-81 - 170 +26
Patrick Judd, Leo 89-82 - 171 +27
Dylan Barkley, Bloomington South 84-87 - 171 +27
Vincent Villanueva, Avon 86-85 - 171 +27
Liam Utesch, Valparaiso 87-85 - 172 +28
Jack Yeager, Warsaw 86-86 - 172 +28
Jeremiah Halderman, Cov. Christian 83-90 - 173 +29
Riley Bratton, Delta 88-85 - 173 +29
Owen Pilarski, Chesterton 87-86 - 173 +29
Karson Parrott, Kokomo 89-84 - 173 +29
Samuel Harris, Silver Creek 84-90 - 174 +30
Levi Welp, Jasper 91-87 - 178 +34
Max McGinley, Cathedral 99-79 - 178 +34
John Kemker, Jasper 87-91 - 178 +34
Jason Clark, Linton 84-94 - 178 +34
Brenner Lampton, Covenant Christian 88-91 - 179 +35
Evan Hudak, Ev. Mem. 87-93 - 180 +36
Drew Decker, Noblesville 94-88 - 182 +38
Garrett Koch, Covenant Christian 96-92 - 188 +44
Jack Brackett, Ev. Memorial 101-90 - 191 +47
Brayden Wynn, Ev. Memorial 102-93 - 195 +51
William Nussbaum, Leo 95-104 - 199 +55
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA golf state finals: Aidan Gutierrez wins, Guerin wins team title
