GALION — Experience paid off for Wynford.
The Royals fired a team score of 342 at the Division III Valley View sectional tournament Thursday, cruising to a nine-stroke victory over runner-up New London (351).
Wynford, New London and third-place finisher Mohawk (365) qualified for next week’s district tournament at Stone Ridge Golf Club in Bowling Green. The top three teams and top three individuals not on a qualifying team advanced.
The Royals reached the district last year, finishing third at the 2022 Valley View sectional with a team score of 356. Four of the five golfers in coach Michael Powers’ lineup Thursday morning teed it up at last year’s sectional.
“We made it as a team last year and most of the guys going up next week were on the team last year,” Powers said. “Experience is important, especially this time of year. Any time you can settle your nerves, it helps a lot.”
Weston Prenger paced Wynford with an 82, four strokes better than the 86 he shot at last year’s sectional tournament. Briar Ridge carded an 84, while Micah Greene and Drew Johnson shot matching 88s. Dawso Pelter rounded it out with a 91.
Plymouth senior Canaan Slone grabbed one of the three individual qualifying spots with an 85. Slone was an individual district qualifier last year, too.
“I played terrible. I didn’t expect to make it out at all,” Slone said. “After the first nine I didn’t expect to make it out.
“I expect to shoot better out here.”
The Big Red shot a team score of 367, two strokes out of the third and final district-qualifying spot.
“I wanted to make it out as a team and we missed by two strokes,” Slone said. “I didn’t want to go by myself.”
Bucyrus placed fifth Thursday with a team score of 368. Jackson Farrar led Bucyrus with an 88.
Buckeye Central (393) finished ninth, while Colonel Crawford (399) was 10th and St. Peter’s (454) was 11th. Tyler Mason led the Bucks with an 89, while Tyce Lisle paced the Eagles with a 93. Jerry Thompson (93) was the low man for St. Peter’s.
Mohawk’s Lance Frankart was the medalist with a 77. Tiffin Calvert’s Kevin Ardner and New London’s Brody Sword were medalist runners-up with matching 80s.