GALION — No matter what happens at this weekend’s Division II state golf tournament, Spencer Keller and his Galion teammates are just glad they get the chance to play.
The Tigers qualified for state for the fourth straight year with an overwhelming performance at last week’s district tournament at Findlay Country Club.
Galion fired a sizzling 317, good for a jaw-dropping 25 stroke victory over runner-up Findlay Liberty-Benton.
The Tigers tee it up Friday at Ohio State’s Scarlet Course as one of the favorites in the 12-team field. The two-day, 36-hole event concludes Saturday.
When the season started in early-August, there was no guarantee the state tournament would take place amid the coronavirus pandemic. Keller kept his fingers crossed, but the senior and four-time state qualifier wasn’t especially optimistic.
“I’m just hoping we’ll have an entire season,” Keller said after taking medalist honors at the season-opening Galion Invitational. “It’s been difficult not knowing if we would start our season or not.”
Despite all the uncertainty, the Tigers lived up to their marquee preseason billing. Galion was 12-0 in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference dual matches and won the conference tournament by 20 strokes over runner-up Shelby. A week later, the Tigers shot a 310 to win the sectional tournament at Thunderbird Hills.
Galion finished sixth at state last year at NorthStar Golf Club in Sunbury. The Tigers were fifth at OSU’s Scarlet Course in 2018 and sixth at NorthStar in 2017.
Keller and fellow senior Matthew McMullen have been regulars in the varsity lineup since they were freshmen. They will conclude their high schools careers on the biggest stage again.
“It stinks that I only have one more week with these seniors,” Galion coach Bryce Lehman said. “Not because they are good players, but because they are good kids.”
Fellow senior Bronson Dalenberg, junior Max Longwell and sophomore Nick McMullen round out the lineup. The same five players teed it up at NorthStar last fall.
“I told the kids they had a target on their backs this year,” Lehman said. “There were expectations, but they weren’t as high as the expectations the kids had for themselves and they have managed those expectations all season long.”
Keller was the district medalist with a 76 while Matthew McMullen was medalist runner-up with a 78. Dalenberg (81) and Nick McMullen (82) rounded out the scorers while Longwell’s 96 was dropped.
“They were very business-like. There wasn’t a lot of goofing around,” Lehman said. “When we got in the van to go to the course, it was like they were going to work.”
That sort of approach will serve Galion well this weekend. The loaded tournament field includes defending state champ Columbus Academy, which shot a stunning 305 to win the central district title last week at Dension Golf Club.
Defending state runner-up Kettering Alter carded a 314 to win the southwest district title at Glenview.
The Tigers come in with the third lowest district score, tied with Oakwood.
“Maybe we’re saving our best round for last,” Lehman said. “We’re hoping so.”
