Raiders edge Eagles in matchup of sectional hopefuls
May 9—ELWOOD — The elements were not conducive to low golf scores Thursday when Frankton and Shenandoah matched up at the Elwood Golf Links, as the teams slogged through nine blustery and damp holes of play.
In actuality, the players are beginning to get used to the conditions after the way the weather has been this spring.
"We've been doing it all year. We haven't really had good conditions at any meets, so it's pretty normal," Shenandoah senior Cohen Shores said. "It wasn't too windy. It didn't rain that hard, and the course was playing pretty easy, so it was fun."
Shores and Frankton's Jace Scott shared individual medalist honors with 1-over par rounds of 37, and the Raiders claimed a three-stroke 165-168 win over the Eagles as the teams ready themselves for their respective conference tournaments Saturday.
Shenandoah will play in the Mid-Eastern Conference tournament at Crestview in Muncie while Frankton heads to Arbor Trace — the home course of the Eastbrook Panthers — for the Central Indiana Conference championship.
"I think we're headed in the right direction," Raiders coach Bruce Stanley said. "We're getting six or seven kids pretty locked in."
Thursday's match was moved to Elwood because of a scheduling conflict with Meadowbrook in Anderson, Frankton's home course, and early on the players found themselves dealing with drizzle that was steady and even heavy at times as well as dropping temperatures and a stiff breeze that had everyone on the course scrambling for umbrellas and an extra layer of clothing.
But it was the even-tempered approach by Shores and Scott that led the way for both teams.
Playing from Shenandoah's No. 1 spot, Shores had bogeys on the par-4 second and the par-3 sixth hole, which were sandwiched around a birdie on the par-4 third. Otherwise, six holes were played at par on a day when par was a very good score.
"I was just kind of playing it safe," Shores said. "I didn't always go for the pin, just laying up and playing for a good score."
Scott, meanwhile, birdied the par-5 fifth and the par-3 eighth holes to match Shores while playing in the No. 3 slot for the Eagles.
Scott's putter may have been the best club in his bag, as he navigated the Elwood outward nine holes with just 10 putts. He smiled as he noted it's a club that is not always his hottest.
"I just like to have fun when I play, and I putted well. I only had 10," Scott said. "Here and there, I'd say (putting) is my strength, but usually it's my chipping and my drives."
Christian Bell fired a 40 as Shenandoah's No. 5 player for the team's runner-up score, followed by Case Morehouse and Landon Harter with a 44 each to complete the scoring. Wyatt Harter shot a 46.
Morehouse finished at 44 despite taking a disastrous 10 on the par-5 fifth hole when he hit not one or two, but three tee shots out of bounds.
"He said, 'I missed your presence over there,' and I told him I wouldn't have let him hit three shots out of bounds. That's for sure," Stanley said.
For Frankton, Liam Baker came in with a 42, Jett Hiatt shot a 44 and Christian Knauer added a 45 to round out the scoring. Reid Utterback was the kicker for the Eagles with a 48.
Even beyond this weekend's conference tournaments, both teams — Shenandoah at Greenfield-Central and Frankton at Noblesville — harbor thoughts of breaking through to advance through their respective sectionals later this year as well.
"Playing in nice weather always helps," Frankton coach Jeff Bates said. "I think (our confidence) is pretty good. They know they can go low. Now it's just a matter of doing it and getting in the right mindset going into conference."
The CIC championship tees off at 8 a.m. while the MEC will commence at 9 a.m.
Contact Rob Hunt at
or 765-640-4886.
