Kenton Ridge finished fifth at the D-II sectional tournament in 2018, six strokes out of the fourth and final qualifying spot for district. Three juniors – Brady Jacobs, Brayden Tosi and Travis Houseman – are focused on getting the Cougars one step further following a disappointing finish last year.
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“We kind of had a lull during the middle of the season last year,” Kenton Ridge coach Scott Ark said. “We didn’t finish up the way we wanted to at the conference. We ended up having a bad day at the conference tournament. I think that will change this year. They’re a little hungrier. They got a taste of it last year just missing at sectionals. All the guys who are returning remember that stuff.”
Tosi led Kenton Ridge with a 48.2 nine-hole average last season. Jacobs was right behind at 48.3 and Houseman next at 50.2.
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“Brady and Braydon are kind of interchangeable. They kind of go back and forth between being the best player on the team,” Ark said. “They’re kind of a 1 and 1A situation. They’re very at getting the ball on the fairways, getting the ball on the green and making putts.
“Travis does an outstanding job. He’s very athletic (as a three-sport athlete). … He gets golf fever every year around July and then he’s just out there playing all the time.”
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Senior Zach Thompson, junior Ty Beegle and sophomore Ryan Dorrell are in the mix for the two open spots after graduating their No. 4 and No. 5 golfers.
The Cougars’ goal is to win the Central Buckeye Conference’s Kenton Trail Division, qualify for the district tournament and, ultimately, the state tournament. The good news is the Cougars have their top three golfers for the next two seasons.
“When you have underclassmen as your top players obviously the dynamic is a little different,” Ark said of sophomores leading the team last year. “This junior year they’ll be setting the standard. It’ll be a little different than last year.”
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Kenton Ridge got off to a solid start by winning the Clark County tournament with 335 to beat Tecumseh’s 363 and Shawnee’s 374. Jacobs, Tosi and Houseman earned all-Clark County honors after the tournament. Shawnee’s Connor Lyons and Greenon’s Dylan Schetter and Ian Anderson also made the all-county team.
“We’ve got some guys who are swinging the clubs well. They just need more rounds. I feel pretty good about the direction we’re going and the kids on the team. I think the team should be playing at a pretty high standard for the near future.”
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10 PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ian Anderson, sr., Greenon
Jack Bramel, so., Catholic Central
Logan Brennaman, sr., Cedarville
Hunter Buck, jr., Northeastern
Ethan Headlee, sr., Urbana
Brady Jacobs, jr., Kenton Ridge
Andy Milligan, sr., Graham
Dylan Schetter, sr., Greenon
Connor Lyons, sr., Shawnee
Mason Witt, jr., Greeneview
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