State qualifiers bring mix of veteran, first-time players

The 12 golfers from The Democrat’s coverage area who qualified for the state tournament feature seven first-timers and two who are making their fourth trips.

Buddy Dill, of Lincoln; Garrett Kelchner, of Sacred Heart; Ethan Shackleford, of Stover; and Cody Williams, of Smithton will compete Monday and Tuesday in the Class 1 tournament at Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club in Bolivar.

Williams placed ninth in the District 6 tournament April 30 at Versailles. He shot an 87 on the par-71 course to become Smithton’s first golfer to advance to state.

Dill tied for 10th with an 89. Kelchner and Shackleford shot 94.

Cody Hugunin and Clint Schwach, both of Warsaw, and Tyler Glynn, of Versailles, will compete in the Class 2 tournament at Deer Lake Golf Course in Springfield.

Schwach placed sixth in the District 7 tournament with an 85 on the par-70 Greene Hill Country Club in Willard. Hugunin placed eighth with an 86.

Glynn tied for ninth with an 86 in the District 5 tournament at par-72 Redfield Golf Course in Eugene.

A pair of four-time state qualifiers will compete in Class 1.

Jaron Lucchesi, of Sacred Heart, tied for fourth at state last year with a two-day total of 160, helping the Gremlins finish second to Tipton.

Matt Lenz, of Green Ridge, tied for 15th last year with a two-day total of 167.

Will Register, of Sacred Heart, and Josh Sadler, of Windsor, are making their third trips to state.

Register finished in a tie for 60th as a sophomore with a two-day total of 180. He didn’t qualify for state last season.

Sadler tied for second in last year’s state tournament with a two-day total of 159.

Jacob Bancroft, of Lincoln, is making his second trip to state.

He qualified for state as a sophomore, tying for 57th with a 178.