Harrison golf's reset pays off with repeat sectional championship

BATTLE GROUND — Harrison boys golf coach John Skelton made an executive decision that may have altered the Raiders’ postseason fate.

A struggling team losing confidence needed time off.

For the June 3 City/County golf tournament, Skelton’s lineup was comprised of one varsity and five junior varsity players.

The Raiders finished third out of seven teams, but the real results showed up at the following day’s practice.

“The next day, they were happy again and they were hitting the ball better,” Skelton said. “We don’t usually take time off. Last year, we doubled up practice and worked really hard. This year we had to lighten up a little bit.”

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The benefit of that refresh came Monday at Battle Ground Golf Club when Harrison hoisted a sectional championship trophy for the second straight season.

After finishing behind McCutcheon three times in recent weeks, the Raiders had four players shoot 79 or better to edge the Mavericks, trying to win the program’s second sectional title and first since 1993, for the team title by a single stroke, 304-305.

“We’ve shot 295 this year,” said Harrison’s Isaac Wendt, who carded a 74 in Monday’s sectional. “We know we’re the best team in the field if we just shoot well, and that’s what we did.”

Phillip Ferger’s round of 72 earned the McCutcheon golfer sectional medalist honors. Like Harrison, the Mavericks had four golfers shoot 79 or better, including Matthew Oakley’s 75 and 79s from Aaron Frank and Seth Bower.

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But the Raiders made their one-stroke lead through nine hold up, getting Trevor Conn’s matching 74 for the best team score, along with a 77 from Ryan Towles, the lone varsity player who competed in last week’s City/County meet at Battle Ground. Eli Schooler’s 79 rounded out Harrison’s team score.

“I think it was just experience,” Conn said. “We’ve got three seniors on the team and we just kind of knew how it works, the patience it takes to stay in it.”

Harrison and McCutcheon will be joined by Central Catholic in Friday’s regional at Coyote Crossing. The Knights were led by Patrick Dimmitt’s 75 to edge Benton Central for the third and final regional qualifying spot.

Clinton Prairie’s Adam Brucken, Lafayette Jeff’s Carter Benson and Benton Central’s Jaxxon Brouillette all advanced to regional as individuals.

The regional, annually one of the state’s toughest, brings a new challenge.

“Even though we did this, there’s still more to come and still more to achieve,” Conn said.

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Harrison golf wins sectional title by one stroke over McCutcheon