Richwood High School went to the West Virginia State Golf Championships at Wheeling’s Oglebay Park Jones Course looking only to avoide the cellar, its finishing spot on each of its past trips to the Class A tournament. The Class A Region 3 champion Lumberjacks accomplished their goal, finishing sixth out of eight teams and one spot behind Greenbrier West. Charleston Cathloic won the Region A title, defeating Weirton-Madonna by 21 strokes.

Ryan Bennett was the Lumberjacks’ highest finisher, coming in 15th among individuals with a 175. He was two ahead of Greenbrier West’s Justin Estep (177), who also snuck inside the top 20.

In Class AA, Wyoming County rivals Westside and Wyoming East represented the area, finishing fourth and seventh, respectively, but three individual performances stole the show.

Bluefield’s Evan Smith missed medalist honors by one stroke, finishing in second place with a 157. Roane County, the Class AA team champion, saw Alston Spears shoot a 156 to lay claim to the individual medalist recognition. Smith, though, still landed on the all-state team, as did James Monroe’s Ike Judy, who finished fifth at 160. Drew Ward from Nicholas County was also an all-state pick, finishing tied for eighth at 163.

Westside’s Hunter Owens finished three strokes out of the top eight with a 166.

In Class AAA, all the teams were chasing University High, which won the title with a 453. That was three stokes better than Wheeling Park, which came in second at 459 and had the top two individuals in Cole Hand (146) and Thadd Obecny (148).

Shady Spring came in sixth out of eight teams with a 499. Rayan Albaugh placed 13th with a 158, while Drew Green was 21st at 169.

Oak Hill’s Craig Buchanan was the area’s top individual in Class AAA, finishing 10th at 156, narrowly missing out on all-state honors.

State Golf Championships Results

(at Oglebay Jones Course, Par 72)

CLASS AAA

Team Scores: University 453, Wheeling Park 459, Cabell Midland 469, George Washington 476, Washington 483, Shady Spring 499, Huntington 503, Elkins 520

Individual Results

Cole Hand, WP    72-74—146

Thadd Obecny, WP    73-75—148

Eric Wirth, Univ    74-74—148

Cale Wheeler, Univ    74-78—152

Will Evans, GW    75-78—153

Trent McPherson, Univ    77-76—153

Chris Williams, Win    74-80—154

Jacob Beahrs, CM    75-79—154

Seth Kinker, CM    77-77—154

Craig Buchanan, OH    76-80—156

Robert Fleming, Wash    78-78—156

Ryan Mumaw, Wash    80-77—157

Ryan Albaugh, SS    81-77—158

Kris Webster, GW    80-79—159

Mark Wilcox, CM    83-78—161

Alex Schreckengost, PS    79-84—163

Thomas Frazier, Hunt    80-85—165

Scott Hand, WP    84-81—165

Austin Florence, GW    83-83—166

Fisher Cross, Hunt    84-82—166

Drew Green, SS    84-85—169

Drew Call, GW    88-81—169

Alex Baird, Elk    84-86—170

Dylan Mumaw, Wash    85-85—170

Owen Elliott, Hedg    91-79—170

Dalton Crislip, BU    89-82—171

Madison Erskine, GE    84-88—172

Landon Perry, SS    85-87—172

Logan Lojszczyk, Brk    87-87—174

Kolin Hopwood, Elk    90-84—174

Chase Toppins, Hunt    84-91—175

Braden Hammond, Elk    86-90—176

Alex Hambel, Hurr    90-86—176

Dakota McComas, SS    87-93—180

Chase Voithofer, Univ    93-91—184

Kelsi Trippett, Elk    104-93—197



CLASS AA

Team Scores: Roane County 489, Poca 492, Fairmont Senior 506, Westside 516, Scott 518, Grafton 522, Wyoming East 553, Lincoln 604

Individual Results

Alston Spears, RoC    81-75—156

Evan Smith, Blu    78-79—157

Travis Covert, Poca    78-80—158

Nick Sinclair, FS    81-78—159

Ike Judy, JM    82-78—160

Sterling Fitzwater, FS    80-81—161

Sydney Snodgrass, RiC    78-85—163

Cam Moore, RoC    83-80—163

Drew Ward, NC    89-74—163

Mitchell Crutchfield, Graf    83-81—164

Alex Hamrick, Poca    83-82—165

Cameron Wilson, NM    81-85—166

Chad Hunneycott, Scott    84-82—166

Hunter Owens, West    85-81—166

Steve Loudermilk, Poca    85-84—169

Marco Oliverio, Bpt    80-90—170

Cole Moore, RoC    85-85—170

Travis Gibson, HH    87-85—172

Lucas Ware, Graf    82-91—173

Corey Bowles, West    91-82—173

Hunter Simmons, RoC    89-86—175

Evan Butcher, Poca    86-90—176

Alex Boggs, Scott    88-88—176

Sterling Chapman, Scott    88-88—176

Drew Bragg, West    94-83—177

Hunter Justus, WE    88-96—184

Dakota Hood, WE    93-93—186

Gage Hannah, FS    96-90—186

Ryan Holcomb, Linc    90-99—189

Zac Summers, Graf    93-96—189

Bruce Staton, WE    97-93—190

Chase Pressley, WE    103-89—192

Zach Musgrove, Graf    89-104—193

Bailey Mohr, FS    97-96—193

Matt Landes, Key    98-95—193

Kaitlyn Saunders, West    102-96—198

Matt Tucker, Linc    100-102—202

Mikoyla Prunty, Linc    106-107—213

Frankie Spadatore, Linc    122-188—240



CLASS A

Team Scores: Charleston Catholic 481, Madonna 502, Buffalo 503, St. Marys 522, Greenbrier West 541, Richwood 566, Notre Dame 582, Moorefield 590

Individual Results

Cory Hoshor, Buf    79-75—154

Christian Casingal, CC    75-81—156

Aaron Persily, CC    76-81—157

Alex Colantonio, WM    80-78—158

Michael Rogers, WM    82-78—160

Quincy Fraley, Moor    81-84—165

Joseph Deskins, TV    82-84—166

Jordan Covelli, CC    85-83—168

Coleman Lamp, SM    84-85—169

Austin Cunningham, GC    83-87—170

Ben Collie, PC    82-90—172

Corey Wells, TC    83-89—172

Thomas Stanley, WC    92-81—173

Bradley Harris, Buf    92-82—174

Ryan Bennett, Rich    88-87—175

Drew Wells, SM    90-85—175

Justin Estep, GW    94-83—177

Blaik Caplinger, Buf    83-95—178

Robbie Harper, SM    89-89—178

Philip Wilson, ND    89-92—181

Chandler Fitzwater, GW    89-93—182

Austin Ransom, GW    92-90—182

Thomas Gianni, WM    89-95—184

Drew Ridgeway, ND    99-86—185

John Casto, Mont    97-92—189

Drew Patton, Buf    99-92—191

Braden Johnson, Rich    95-97—192

Korey Foltz, EH    96-98—194

Josh Richard, SM    103-95—198

Mason Mullens, Rich    106-93—199

Colleen Connolly, Moor    103-106—209

Gus Patterson, GW    104-108—212

Dustin Seabolt, Rich    109-107—216

Jordan Brown, ND    112-104—216

Luke Gains, SH    111-108—219

Alex Demary, ND    118-116—234