Boys golf: Highland's Hayden Hoyt flashes potential at Walker Jones

YORK TWP. — For much of the Walker Jones Classic at Shale Creek Golf Club on Wednesday, Highland boys golf senior Hayden Hoyt had medalist in his sights. Hoyt eventually fell second place to 12th over his final seven holes but still came away with a rock-solid, 2-over-par 73 to be Medina County's top finisher. After a birdie on the 209-yard, par-3 17th, Hoyt went to 2 under and was one stroke behind Hudson's Ben Fauver through 11 holes. Hoyt bogeyed No. 18 and Fauver birdied the ninth — they teed off on opposite sides of the course — as Fauver won with a 65. The 18th started a stretch of three straight bogeys and four bogeys in five holes for Hoyt. "I'm kind of disappointed," Hoyt said. "I just started making bogeys after that. The swing felt good, but I feel like I should have scored way better than that. A 73 is all right." Hoyt led the Hornets (318) to 11th out of 18 teams in the loaded field. Host Medina (321) was 13th behind Declan West's 76. The Bees were without reigning Gazette MVP Trent Riedel, who was competing in an American Junior Golf Association event in Columbus. Brunswick was led by a 76 from sophomore Liam Cooney to finish 16th with a 329. The Explorers finished 2 under to win with a 282, eight strokes ahead of second-place Ottawa Hills. After Hoyt started with a par on the 471-yard seventh, he birdied the 573-yard, par-5 eighth and 412-yard ninth to start hot. After coming back to even, Hoyt birdied the 569-yard 16th and No. 17 to stay on Fauver's heels. "We were moving, which was helping," Hoyt said. "After 13 holes, we started to stop and wait on every tee box and every shot. That kind of ruins your momentum a little bit. You just need to find some hot spots and take advantage of them." Fellow senior Cooper Lutz followed Hoyt with a 78. Lutz birdied the 524-yard, par-5 third to highlight his round. Cooney was similarly red hot to Hoyt early on. Cooney birdied the 557-yard, par-5 14th — his second hole — and the 342-yard first en route to being 1 over through 12 holes. Cooney credited experience as a freshman for helping him acclimate this season. "I'm feeling pretty good," he said. "It's a good start to the season. I was looking for something positive coming into this. One hole at a time is what I've been thinking, and it feels really good to do that." Freshman Isaac Morgan backed Cooney with an 81, including a birdie on the 191-yard, par-3 15th. Despite tying Cooney and seven other golfers for 27th, West was left wishing for more from his day. He birdied the ninth — his second hole of the day — and the third, but then finished with a double bogey, bogey and par on Nos. 5-7 to come into the clubhouse. "It wasn't my best stuff," West said. "I started off good, but then it started to go bad. I held it in check for a while, but at the end I kind of fell apart. It's still a respectable score, though." Senior Johnny Quien carded 79 for the Bees, including a birdie on the 171-yard, par-3 11th. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Results at par-71 Shale Creek G.C. Standings: 1. Hudson 282, 2. Ottawa Hills 290, 3. Toledo St. John's Jesuit 294, 4. Massillon Jackson 297, 5. Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller 299, 6. Columbus Bishop Watterson 300, 7. University 306, 8. Cincinnati Archbishop Alter 308, 9. St. Clairsville 309, 10. Green 316, 11. Highland 318, 12. Lima Shawnee 320, 13. Medina 321, 14. North Royalton 328, 15. Van Buren 328, 16. Brunswick 329, 17. Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 334, 18. Chagrin Falls 342. Highland (318) — Hayden Hoyt 73, Cooper Lutz 78, Matthew Mamer 83, Michael Caza 84, Trip Konopka 84, Noah Krietemeyer 91. Medina (321) — Declan West 76, Johnny Quien 79, Kale Shockley-Macek 82, Elliot Morgan 84, Conrad Basson 86, Asher Camlin 90. Brunswick (329) — Liam Cooney 76, Isaac Morgan 81, Braedon Iacobacci 83, Vinny Coven 89, Greyson Desarle 91, David Diamond 91.