Two in a row.
The Shepherd High School boys golf team won its second-straight regional title on Wednesday and earned a spot in next week’s Division 3 state finals at Forest Akers West in East Lansing.
The Jays shot a 333 in D3 regional action at Pine River Country Club in Alma to clinch the top spot and bested runner-up Frankenmuth by 15 shots. St. Charles was third with a 357 while Alma was sixth with a 362, St. Louis seventh with a 368 and Ithaca eighth with a 372.
“All the hard work that this team has put in paid off today,” said Shepherd coach Mike Willett. “Our guys came in wanting to shoot their average and for the most part they did. I was also super impressed with how our guys bounced back if they had a bad hole.”
Max Skeel, who rolled off six straight pars at one point, led the Jays with a 79 to finish third overall. Scott Sura finished fourth with an 80. Logan Yuncker, who had seven-straight pars on the front nine, added in a 86 to finish ninth. Kyle Bendele also chipped in an 88 while Nate Gall carded a 96.
Brandon Fandell led the Panthers with an 84 and finished ninth while Drake Martin was 10th with a 91. Jaden Jerome also had a 93 while Kody Kenny shot a 94
St. Louis’ Grant Mills was first overall with a 5-over par 77. Noah Harry chipped in a 97 while Luke Harry shot a 98 and Patrick Hawley a 96.
Ithaca was paced by Calob Crumbaugh and Josh King as they both shot 90s.
Fandell and Mills both also qualified for the finals.