By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
St. Henry is the highest ranked boys golf team in the Kentucky All “A” Classic state tournament to be played Saturday at Gibson Bay Golf Course in Richmond.
In the latest statewide boys high school golf point standings posted on kyjuniorgolf.org, St. Henry was No. 2 with 480 points. The only other All “A” Classic state qualifier in the top 20 is Lexington Christian Academy at No. 12 with 385 points.
Evan Schwarz
St. Henry has placed first or second in seven tournaments this season. The Crusaders won the 9th Region All “A” Classic for the seventh consecutive year to qualify for Saturday’s state tournament. After winning the 2016 All “A” Classic state title, the Crusaders placed third in 2017 and second last year in a field of 16 teams.
This year’s team leader is senior Evan Schwarz, who ranks fifth in the kyjuniorgolf.org boys individual standings. He won the 9th Region All “A” Classic with a 2-under 70 at Kenton County. The other St. Henry golfers competing in Saturday’s state tournament are juniors Mason Butler, Ryan Butler and Gabe Ryan and freshman Kevin Tobergte.
Brossart and Walton-Verona are the other local boys golf teams that qualified for the All “A” Classic state tournament by winning regional championships.
The field for the girls All “A” Classic state tournament on Saturday at Arlington Country Club in Richmond includes Villa Madonna, Brossart and Walton-Verona. Villa Madonna won the 2007 girls small-school state championship, but the best finish by a local team over the last 11 years was third place.
One of the top returning golfers in the girls field on Saturday is Brossart senior Abby Cook. She tied for fifth place in last year’s state tournament and is currently No. 15 in the statewide girls rankings.
Here are the lineups for all six local teams that qualified to compete in the All “A” Classic state golf tournaments:
VILLA MADONNA GIRLS — Natalie Lovell, Didina Jiradamkerng, Lily Tribble, Brogan Callioni, Brooklyn Callioni.
ST. HENRY BOYS — Evan Schwarz, Mason Butler, Ryan Butler, Gabe Ryan, Kevin Tobergte.
WALTON-VERONA GIRLS — Hannah Hall, Natalie Hall, Taylor Read, Audrey Pollard, Lacey Alford.
WALTON-VERONA BOYS — Barry Alexander, Ben Elstun, Chance Young, Landen Lawrence, Bailey Pollard.
BROSSART GIRLS — Abby Cook, Jessica Kelly, Belle Ritter, Abbi Schark, Makenzie Code, Olivia Phirman.
BROSSART BOYS — Blayke Kramer, Adam Owens, Ethan Eilerman, Michael Geiman, Griffin Schuetz.
GIRLS INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS — Brooke Bihl (NewCath), Sarah Steimer (St. Henry).
BOYS INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS — Ben Eppler (Beechwood), Will Stamm (Beechwood).
