Cloverdale captures Putnam County, WIC Boys’ Golf titles

Cloverdale took the top four spots in the All-County team as part of a 21-shot win over the field at the Putnam County Golf Match Thursday. Eli Kelley took medalist honors on 39 and was followed by Carson Caulkins on 41, Noah Betz on 42 and Zach Thomas on 43.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

Cloverdale completed a double of important boys’ golf wins by claiming the Putnam County Golf Match at Oak Ridge Golf Course Thursday and the WIC Golf Match at Cascades Golf Course Saturday.

The Clovers won a comfortable county title by 21 strokes and took the top-four spots in the All-County places as Eli Kelley earned medalist honors with a round of 39, followed by Carson Caulkins on 41, Noah Betz on 42 and Zach Thomas on 43. Dustin Peck rounded out the scoring on 51.

“We’re excited,” Cloverdale head coach Mark Rogers said. “We have great support from the parents and friends, which makes it fun.

“The kids have worked real hard and we’ve tried to emphasize being a team, working together and not being just an individual.

“The kids played tough,” Rogers added. “You’re going to run into some trouble on (Oak Ridge) every now and then.

“We just make sure that we don’t let one shot beat them or quit on a hole. Just keep playing and that’s what they did.”

Greencastle filled the other three All-County spots as Zane Huber shot 44, Sam White carded a 45 and Bryson Worman shot 48. Cooper Gable rounded on the scoring on 49 with Jackson Rodgers shooting 51.

South Putnam finished third on 227 with Tanner Smithers leading the charge on 49, followed closely behind by Ethan Harcourt on 50, while Elijah Chandler shot 62, Brodie Carr turned in a round of 66 and Jackson Hayman shot 71.

North Putnam finished fourth on 247, led by Chase Abdon on 56 and followed by Caleb Rees on 62, Gavin Simonson on 63 and Zac Coffman on 66.

Saturday at Cascades, which replaced Rolling Meadows as the conference golf course, Cloverdale, Greencastle and Edgewood went blow for blow aiming for the top spot and it would end up taking a medalist effort from Thomas for the Clovers to edge out the Tiger Cubs 337-338 with the Mustangs third on 342.

Sullivan took fourth on fifth score tiebreak over Northview with both shooting 357 with West Vigo seventh on 363. Indian Creek took eighth place over Brown County in similar circumstances after both teams shot 382.

South Putnam was 10th overall with a round of 450 while North Putnam did not have enough players finish for a team score.

Kelley and Betz backed Thomas with rounds of 85 and 87, finishing ninth and tied for 11th respectively and earning All-WIC honors. Caulkins rounded out the scoring on 89 with Peck shooting 109.

Greencastle had four golfers earn All-WIC honors as Worman finished fifth on 82, Rodgers was tied for sixth on 83, Huber finished 10th on 86 and White tied for 11th on 87. Cooper Grable came in on 97.

Smithers and Harcourt led South Putnam with rounds of 91. Chandler came in on 129 while Hayman and Lincoln Hochstetler both shot 139.

Adbon shot 125 to lead North Putnam with Simonson shooting 126 and Rees carding a 132.