SECTIONAL CHAMPS … Creighton Aeschliman (above) was one of five Blackbirds to shoot a 77 to lead Pettisville to the Division III sectional championship.
PHOTOS BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
SECTIONAL RUNNER-UP … Owen Sommer (above) shot a 76 to front Montpelier, who placed second to punch their ticket to the district tournament.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
WAUSEON – Pettisville and Montpelier will be advancing to districts after finishing first and second, respectively, in the Division III boys sectional golf tournament held Thursday, September 25, at Ironwood Golf Course.
The Blackbirds repeated as sectional champions as they finished with a team score of 308, followed by Montpelier (318) and Tinora (323), who also advanced to the district tournament to be held on Thursday, October 2, at Stone Ridge Golf Club in Bowling Green.
What was quite an unusual accomplishment for the Blackbirds was the fact that they had all five of their golfers, Jack Leppelmeier, Creighton Aeschliman, Rylee Bevard, Graycen Osterday, and Gavin Knierim, all shooting identical scores of 77.
Montpelier’s Owen Sommer captured sectional medalist honors with a 76. Other scores for the Locos were Kenneth Smeltzer (77), Malachi Smeltzer (81), Kade Stewart (85), and C.J. Fidler (88).
Logan Stein led Tinora with a 78, followed by Ryder Backhaus (81), Parker Hancock (82), Grant Lymanstall (82), and Kaiden Massengale (89).
Also qualifying individually were Brody Wyckhouse of Liberty Center (78) and Tony Capretta of Liberty Center (81). Capretta defeated Hayden Timbrook of Evergreen via a playoff on the third hole for the final individual spot.
DIVISION III SECTIONALS (@ Ironwood)
Top 3 teams and 3 individuals not on a qualifying team advance to Districts
TEAM SCORES: 1. *Pettisville 308 (Jack Leppelmeier 77, Creighton Aeschliman 77, Rylee Bevard 77, Graycen Osterday 77, Gavin Knierim 77); *2. Montpelier 319 (Owen Sommer 76, Kenneth Smeltzer 77, Malachi Smeltzer 81, Kade Stewart 85, C.J. Fidler 88); 3. *Tinora 323; 4. Evergreen 355 (Hayden Timbrook 81, Jake Farley 87, Chris Shrader 88, Wade Stubleski 99, Andrew Bettinger 104); 5. Hicksville 357; 6. MVCD 358; 7. Hilltop 362 (Micah Rossman 83, Jordan Schaffner 85, Brennan Dempsey 96, Lakota Siegel 98, Austin Gault DQ); 8. Stryker 366 (William Donovan 87, Bradley Williams 89, Chandler Lloyd 91, Abram Batterson 99, Andrew Batterson 115); 9. Liberty Center 366; 10. Fairview 367; 11. Fayette 379 (Carter Lavinder 88, Wyatt Bieber 96, Kasen Saunders 97, Caleb Lerma 98, Keagan Patterson 99); 12. North Central 379 (Easton Fidler 92, Talen Reinbolt 94, Dakota Cable 96, Masen Boles 97, Jaziel Dominguez 107); 13. Edgerton 406 (Mason Elden 97, Jon Cronin 100, Cole Gary 107, Ian Cronin 112, Parker Abraham 132); 14. Edon 432 (Trevor Hake 99, Lane Brandt 104, Jackson Clinger 109, Benry Kellogg 120, Hezekiah David 137)
INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS: Brody Wyckhouse (Liberty Center) 78; Cranston Banister (MVCD) 79; Tony Capretta (Liberty Center) 81