ONTARIO, Ohio — Beau Bayerl and Johnny Peck could have teed it up to break their tie, but the Ashland teammates decided to share instead.
Arrows coach Dave Chapman wasn’t surprised.
Bayerl and Peck shot matching 2-under 70s to tie for medalist runner-up honors and lead Ashland to the team title at the 12-team Doug McLean Memorial Tournament at Oak Tree Golf Club on Friday.
The Arrows shot a season-low 290, 13 strokes ahead of runner-up North Royalton (303). Lexington (311), Wooster (312) and Ontario (316) rounded out the top five.
“The chemistry on this team is just right. They play for each other,” Chapman said. “Beau and Johnny could have gone back out for a playoff, but they decided they would rather share the runner-up medalist. They have bigger goals in mind.”
If Friday’s performance was any indication, the Arrows could break Lexington’s four-year stranglehold on the Ohio Cardinal Conference team title. Ashland, which won four straight OCC titles from 2008 to 2011, is 4-0 in OCC matches this fall and picked up the program’s 1,000th match win Thursday against the Minutemen.
The Arrows have won four of the past six tournaments they has competed in. Ashland topped its previous season best, shot at the Hilliard Darby Invitational, by two strokes.
“Ashland was phenomenal. That 290 might be a tournament record,” event organizer and Madison coach Eric Wellman said. “When Wooster won it last year (with a 295) I said I didn’t think anyone would beat that score.”
Max Watson backed Bayerl and Peck with a 1-over 73. Ashland’s final scorer, Spencer Daniels, carded a 77.
“We just want to take care of what is in front of us,” Chapman said. “Wooster is close behind us and we play our final OCC match at their place.”
The Minutemen were led by Benji Dreibelbis (76) and Nick Stehle (77). Nick Offenburger (78) and Taylor Wittmer (80) rounded out the scoring for Lex.
Dominic Castelvetere (76) paced Ontario. Marc Wilkins Jr. and Austin McCray carded 79s and Lane Thomas shot an 82.
Madison and Clear Fork tied for seventh at 358. Jacob Koehler led Madison with a season-best 72, followed by River Wiseman (89), Jonah Aumend (94) and Austin Schroeder (103).
That was our best round of the season by far,” Wellman said. “The conditions were ideal and our guys played pretty well.”
The Colts were led by Brock Deter (83) and Jared Lind (84). Gage Wolfgang (95) and Dan Lifer (96) rounded out the scoring.
Crestview shot a team total of 365, good for ninth place. Jacob Salyers led the Cougars with an 81, followed by Hayden McMillen (89), Ryan Pfeiffer (95) and Ray Kochenderfer (100).
Mansfield Senior shot a 485. Tanner Harless had a 92. Nick Sayres (119), Blair McClenathan (125) and Cyrus Hock (149) rounded out the scoring for the Tygers.
Shot of the Day: Koehler nearly aced the 310-yard, par-4 17th. His tee shot landed within feet of the green and he tapped in for eagle.
“I hit a lot of fairways and 13 of 18 greens,” said Koehler, who shot a 94 at last year’s McClean. “I could have finished at 1-under but I bogeyed my final hole.”
