Allen East Invite kicks off boys golf season

BATH TOWNSHIP — No one’s winning a state boys golf title in early August, or even a sectional crown, during this first week of the prep golf season. But all successful seasons start somewhere.

The Findlay A team easily won the team title at the Allen East Invitational, posting a two-day total of 626. Day one was at Colonial Golfers Club before moving to Lost Creek Golfers Club for the second day.

Waynesfield-Goshen was second at 668, followed by Findlay B at 671.

This was the third year for the 15-team tournament.

“My goal is to mix the kids up, so each day they play different kids,” Allen East coach and tournament director Bill Mattevi said. “It’s the first event of the season. It’d be nice to win it, or play better, but it just gets our step in the door to the season.”

The Trojans were easily the biggest team at the tournament, with St. Marys B the only other Division I school. This wasn’t the true varsity team from Findlay, but the B team and junior varsity.

It still helps to get as many golfers as many rounds as you can.

“We like the courses,” Findlay assistant coach Bob Soellener said. “We thought this would be a nice competition for our B team and J.V. team. … All our kids, we get them into invitationals through the year to get them ready for the big state tournament.”

Waynesfield-Goshen, which returns its entire roster from 2008, was led by Sheldon Shobe’s 164. Dalton Buffenbarger had a 166 and Corey Maxwell a 167.

The Tigers play today in another tournament, the Auglaize County Invitational.

“We’re real pleased. The kids shot well (Monday) at Colonial and came through again (Tuesday),” Waynesfield-Goshen coach Paul Green said. “I’m not saying this is what we expected; this is what we hoped to achieve.”

Three of the top four individuals were Findlay golfers. Sam Adams topped the list at 155.

Bath’s Matt Holt was the area’s top individual, taking third runner-up with a 158. He shot an 81 at Colonial, backed up with a 77 at Lost Creek.

“I played pretty well. I could have played better (Monday), but I did well,” Holt said. “You have to stay focused, and not focus on what everyone else is doing. It’s a good start to the season.”

Holt had already planted the seeds for a prosperous sophomore season with plenty of golf in the summer. A first-team all-Western Buckeye League pick as a freshman, he won four events during the Lima Junior Golf Association season.

“I’m a little bit better now than I was in the summer, but I still have a lot of work to do,” Holt said.

For the other teams and individuals, Monday and Tuesday were all about getting experience in a tournament setting. Perry finished 14th, but new coach Matt Tabler was happy his players were out on the course.

“We have four kids that have never played in an organized event,” Tabler said. “We’re trying to get something started at Perry, and an event like this, with them getting to see the other kids play, it will help for the future and get them out next summer.”