BOYS GOLF: CC, Lakeland, Hartland qualify for state tournament, but Brother Rice doesn't
Novi Detroit Catholic Central High School boys golfer Charlie Green tees off from Hole #2 during the boys Division 1, Regional 4 tournament. Photo taken on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at Lyon Oaks Golf Course in Lyon Township, Mich. (Special to The Oakland Press/Jose Juarez)
Birmingham Brother Rice High School boys golfer Kyle Gaines watches his putt on the tenth green during the boys Division 1, Regional 4 tournament. Photo taken on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at Lyon Oaks Golf Course in Lyon Township, Mich. (Special to The Oakland Press/Jose Juarez) 
Farmington High School boys golfer Nick Heffron chips out of the rough along the tenth fairway during the boys Division 1, Regional 4 tournament. Photo taken on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at Lyon Oaks Golf Course in Lyon Township, Mich. (Special to The Oakland Press/Jose Juarez)
Berkley High School boys golfer Anthony Jackson tees off at Hole #2 during the boys Division 1, Regional 4 tournament. Photo taken on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at Lyon Oaks Golf Course in Lyon Township, Mich. (Special to The Oakland Press/Jose Juarez)In terms of the former, Novi Detroit Catholic Central, Lakeland and Hartland were the teams that left the happiest, as those were the three teams that nabbed the qualifying spots for the state tournament that will be held next weekend at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers West.
Catholic Central and Lakeland each shot a 309, but Catholic Central ended up taking home the regional trophy based on the fifth-golfer tiebreaker.
Hartland shot a 319 to take the third spot, four shots ahead of the team that stunningly won’t be going to the state tournament.
That would be defending state champion Birmingham Brother Rice, which shot a 323 despite seeing senior Kyle Gaines win medalist honors by firing a 4-under par round of 68.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, nobody else in the lineup broke 80 in what was a rare failure for a team that has dominated the regional tournament in recent years.
“I’m really disappointed right now,” said Gaines, who said he hit 17 greens in regulation in what was his low round of the year. “I’d rather see our team make it rather than just me personally. I’m really bummed right now.”
Gaines did end up qualifying for the state tournament as an individual, as did Novi’s Brad Kozinski and Birmingham Seaholm’s Tim Pearce.
Kozinski shot a 75 while Pearce had a 77.
For Catholic Central, winning the regional on its home course was just another step in its goal towards state-title contention.
“I think it was a tough day but I kept telling the guys scores are high so don’t get too disappointed,” Catholic Central assistant coach Rick Williams said. “They just stuck it out and played hard.”
It was a balanced effort from the Shamrocks, who were led by respective 76’s from Glen Piot and Corey Szmadzinski, a 77 from Charlie Green, and 80 from Phil Ritchie and an 82 from Dan Ault.
For Lakeland and Hartland, they had full reason for a wild celebration since they finally were able to break through and qualify out of what annually is one of the top regionals in the state, one usually dominated by Brother Rice and Catholic Central.
“It’s almost like being at the state tournament,” Lakeland head coach Hugh Felt said. “It’s always been CC and Brother Rice coming out of here. It’s very good for us and for Hartland for us to come out of it this year.”
Leading the way for Lakeland was junior Alex Kleckner, who shot a 73. Junior Jake Kneen had a 77, junior Justin Pahl shot a 79, Justin LaFrance posted an 80 and Owen Skrelunas added an 84 for Lakeland.
Pinckney ended up fifth at 329, while Novi and Livonia Stevenson tied for sixth with a 329.
Team Scores
- Detroit Catholic Central 309
- White Lake Lakeland 309
- Hartland 319
- Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 323
- Pinckney 327
- Livonia Stevenson 329
- Novi 329
- Howell 331
- Berkley 336
- Birmingham Groves 338
- Birmingham Seaholm 338
- Farmington 342
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