Boys golf: Medina ties for ninth at Walker Jones Classic

YORK TWP. — The Medina boys golf team got outstanding performances from senior Cam Stafford and freshman Trent Riedel at the Walker Jones Classic on Wednesday. The duo was among those who tied for fifth individually after firing 1-over-par 72s at Shale Creek Golf Club to lead the Bees to a tie for ninth out of 18 teams with a 308. Stafford is one of two returning players from last season's state qualifying team, joining sophomore Declan West (81). "It's really kind of a new team for us this year with how things turned out," Stafford said. "We're young and have a lot of potential. I think we have a lot of talent. We just need to work hard throughout the season to sharpen it up and strive to get better." Junior Hayden Hoyt finished one shot behind Stafford and Riedel to lead Highland (325) to 15th, while Brunswick (347) placed 18th behind 83s from seniors Luke Stella and Connor Wokoun. Green, which was not a state qualifier last season, shot a blazing 294 to win the team championship in a field that included 10 returning state qualifiers. There were five qualifiers from Division I, four from D-II, including champion Kettering Archbishop Alter (299), and one from D-III. Alter's Matthew Kreusch took medalist honors with a scorching 67. Riedel got into good spots off the tee, with the exception of the first hole, in which he was able to escape trouble with a 50-degree wedge that he put next to the hole for an easy birdie. Riedel also birdied the 191-yard 15th when he landed a 6-iron off the tee only 10 feet from the pin and sank the putt. "I was hitting the ball fine," he said. "I was hitting greens with a lot of two-putts. Not everything was falling, but it worked out." Riedel, who carded a 69 Monday, added tournament golf prepared him well for high school. "It's not really different from individual tournaments," he said. "It's the same feel, but you've got to stay up when you have a bad hole. It's not just you playing for yourself. It's you playing for your team." Stafford was strong on the green with only 28 putts, including two long ones for birdies on the 524-yard third and 573-yard eighth, both par 5s. On No. 3, he hit a cut into the right rough, laid up to 100 yards and hit a 58-degree to 15 feet. On No. 8, he hit just into the left rough to set up a hybrid and flop shot that trickled toward the hole. "I managed my way around the course pretty well today," he said. "I didn't make too many big mistakes today, and when I did, I recovered well. I putted really well today and made a lot of crucial par putts." Hoyt bounced back from being 3 over through four holes and shifted into another gear with his first birdie on the 569-yard 16th. Hoyt hit his driver down the middle of the fairway to set up a hybrid to the green right of the pin and a two-putt. He closed with birdies on two of his final four holes, the first and the third. It was a marked improvement over the 78 and 81 he shot in the first two events of the season. "My first two rounds weren't great, but this is definitely a confidence booster," he said. "Hopefully, we can keep this going the rest of the way this year." Hoyt was backed by Jun Kim (83), Austin Valore (84) and Noah Krietemeyer (85). For Medina, Colin King and Elliot Morgan tied for the final counting score with 83s. Liam Cooney (87) and Colton Sulima rounded out the Blue Devils' scores. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Results at par-71 Shale Creek G.C. Standings: 1. Green 294, 2. Cincinnati Archbishop Alter 299, 3. Cincinnati St. Xavier 300, 4. Columbus Bishop Watterson 300, 5. Hudson 303, 6. Toledo St. John's Jesuit 303, 7. Ottawa Hills 304, 8. Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 304, 9. Massillon Jackson 308, 10. Medina 308, 11. University 309, 12. Chagrin Falls 314, 13. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller 322, 14. Van Buren 323, 15. Highland 325, 16. Stow 328, 17. St. Clairsville 337, 18. Brunswick 347. Medina (308) — Trent Riedel 72, Cam Stafford 72, Declan West 81, Colin King 83, Elliot Morgan 83, Conrad Basson 89. Highland (325) — Hayden Hoyt 73, Jun Kim 83, Austin Valore 84, Noah Krietemeyer 85, Cooper Lutz 89, Micah Crone 91. Brunswick (347) — Luke Stella 83, Connor Wokoun 83, Liam Cooney 87, Colton Sulima 94, Braedon Sopko 96.