Mohigans, Hawks qualify for next week’s state tournament
MORGANTOWN — The Pines Country Club played host to the 2023 WVSSAC Class AAA Region 1 golf tournament on Monday morning with eight teams battling it out to qualify for next week’s state tournament. The top two teams and top two individual finishers in the regional tournament earn qualification to states next week at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling.
The Morgantown Mohigans took first place overall with a team score of 230, with every player turning in a score in the 70s. They were followed by rival University High School, which tallied a team score of 237 on the day. The Hawks bested the third-place finishers, Wheeling Park (238), by a single stroke to qualify for the state tournament as a team.
“These guys have worked hard all season to get to this point,” MHS head coach Joel Barrett said. “They spent the offseason in the weight room, they played a ton of golf, they gelled well as a team and supported each other every step of the way. They are so tight when it comes to their talent and as teammates.”
UHS senior Landon Spiker finished as the low medalist for the day with a score of 74 while Morgantown’s Gabriel Watson finished runner-up with a 76.
“It felt like I couldn’t miss a putt today,” Spiker said. “I was hitting every club well and down the middle. You try to make it as easy as possible on yourself out there and I put myself in some good positions on a tough course.”
Watson was the low-scorer for the Mohigans, and he was followed by two 77s from Andrew Sheets and Braxton Martucci, with Solas Chinn-Kreiner carding a 78.
“It’s a good day when you can scratch a 78 as your highest score,” Barrett said. “I’m confident that our guys are playing their best golf of the year as a whole and hope they can carry that into states next week.”
The Hawks will send Spiker, Daniel Grabo, Owen Estel, and Adam Argabrite to the Jones Course at Olglebay next week. Along with Spiker’s regional low of 74, Estel tallied an 80, with Argabrite carding an 83, and Grabo an 84.
“I’m really proud of Landon today, and all of our players to get to this point,” UHS head coach Barry Kolar said. “They haven’t quit this year and have continued to fight. We can’t wait to get to Wheeling next week and see what we can do.”
Spiker began the day 3-over after a bogey-double bogey start on the first two holes, but played the remaining sixteen holes at even-par.
“I don’t know if that would’ve been the case a year ago,” Kolar said with a chuckle and a nudge to Spiker. “16 holes of even par golf to win the low medalist for the day is special and a strong statement.”
The Hawks and Mohigans will tee off on Tuesday and Wednesday for the 2023 WVSSAC state golf tournament on The Jones Course at Speidel Golf Club with tee times to be announced soon.
Full team results are:
- Morgantown – 230
- University – 237
- Wheeling Park – 238
- John Marshall – 253
- Bridgeport – 254
- Brooke – 265
- Buckhannon-Upshur – 266
- Preston – 278
