JEROMESVILLE — Lexington maintained its stranglehold on the Ohio Cardinal Conference championship Thursday at Mohican Hills Golf Club.
Spencer Stierhoff carded a team-best 5 over 77 and the Minutemen won the conference tournament with a team total of 320, locking up a third straight OCC overall crown with 15.5 points.
The OCC’s overall title is based on a points system. Points are awarded for regular season dual wins and order of finish at the conference tournament.
Lex was 6-1 in duals, good for 7.5 points, and picked up 8 points for finishing first Thursday.
Wooster, which handed Lexington its first dual loss in three years earlier in the season, was second with 13.5 points after finishing third Thursday with a 331. Clear Fork finished second in the conference tournament with a 324 and took third in the overall standings with 12.5 points. Ashland (9 points) was fourth, followed by West Holmes (8.5), Madison (7), Orrville (4) and Mansfield Senior (2).
Mohican Hills bared its teeth on an otherwise postcard early autumn day as only three players broke 80. Stierhoff’s 77 was good for second behind medalist Beau Bayerl of Ashland (74).
“The course played extremely difficult,” Stierhoff said. “Putting-wise, it was demanding even if you were in a good position on the green.”
Slippery putts are par for the course at Mohican Hills, Lex coach Ryan Zahn said.
“It doesn’t matter where the pins are, if you get on the wrong side of them it’s going to be tough,” Zahn said. “It’s just a tough-putting golf course. It’s just who survives the day.
“It was good to see Spencer shoot a really nice round when we needed it.”
Stierhoff was backed by Charles Mikelait, who fired an 80. Kaleb Smith shot an 81 and Tommy Barkett carded an 82.
“It’s always somebody different at the top for us,” Stierhoff said. “You never know who it’s going to be.”
Pep Talk: Clear Fork’s Nick Schoonyan was the only other golfer to break 80, firing a 78 to finish third. Schoonyan got an earful from coach Jeff Gottfried after three-putting the 504 yard par 5 eighth hole.
“He just got careless and I let him know he had to focus on every shot,” Gottfried said. “I got my 30 seconds worth.
“We’re not related, but we might as well be. I’ve been chewing on his ear since he was about 12.”
It was the best round of the season for Schoonyan, who earned a spot on the OCC second team.
“My coach set me straight,” Schoonyan said. “He told me it was OK to have fun, but not too much fun. He got me back in the right frame of mind.”
Helping Hand: The chase for the overall title between Lex and Wooster might have been a little tighter were it not for Clear Fork. The Colts handed the Generals their only dual loss earlier in the week.
“Clear Fork helped us out,” Stierhoff said. “That was big.”
Zahn agreed.
“That was nice,” he said. “Our league has been very competitive. Clear Fork has been playing great and Wooster had a great year. Those teams were both really good during the league season.”
Seeing Double: Jacob Seamans and and Hunter Claxon shot matching 86s to lead Madison. Seamans and Claxon were OCC honorable mention picks.
“We had some decent scores,” Madison coach Eric Wellman said. “I was pleased for the most part.”
Work in Progress: Mansfield Senior was led by Dylan Dudley, who shot a 93. Dudley was an OCC honorable mention selection.
“Dylan has played well for us this year and I’d like to see him do well at sectionals,” Senior High coach Scott Toney said. “We just need to get more young kids involved. We need to expose them to competitive golf.”
