BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HESSTON — Ellinwood's Drew Heinz delivered four birdies and an eagle to pass Salina Sacred Heart's Mike Matteucci after 29 holes at Tuesday's 2A Kansas state golf championship.
Starting on the back nine, Heinz eagled No. 11 after driving the par 4 hole at Hesston Golf Course. He birdied Nos. 10 and 15. He started his second nine with birdies at Nos. 1 and 2 to reach 3-under-par through 29 holes for a 1-shot lead.
Just as quickly, Heinz lost his momentum in perfect 80-degree weather with winds less than 10 mph.
Heinz's goal of a 2A state championship was spoiled by a costly bogey, triple bogey, bogey stretch from Nos. 3 to 5. Heinz's dazzling 2-under-par 69 featured six birdies and an eagle that clinched his second runner-up 2A state golf medal.
"I needed a lot of birdies and that's what I went for," Heinz said. "I knew I needed to score low because Matteucci has been playing well. I drove the ball really well. I fixed some things with my putter and made putts on my first nine holes."
Heinz shot even-par 142 (73-69) to finish three strokes behind Salina Sacred Heart's Matteucci's 139 (69-70). Matteucci rallied with a trio of back nine birdies. Heinz sank a 20-foot birdie at No. 6 and converted 1-of-3 birdie putts inside 7 feet on his final three holes.
"I'm proud of how I played, but I would've liked to have won," he said. "I needed as many birdies as I could get. I knew I was close to first. One hole killed it."
Heinz's only letdown came at No. 4, where he chipped twice and putted three times for a triple bogey 6.
"I wish I could replay the par 3 fourth hole because that screwed my round up," Heinz said. "I learned a lot from today's round. This will help me."
Heinz birdied Nos. 3, 7, 14 and 18 during his opening 73. Heinz (75) was also the 2A state runner-up last year at Emporia Municipal Golf Course.
Heinz missed a chance for the Eagles' first state golf title since Brian Schwartz and Steve Southern won the 2-man 2A title in 1977.
The Eagles' 36-hole 680 (340/340) placed fifth. The Eagles also counted scores by Mason Moore, 165 (81-84), Alex Bowyer, 186 (92-94) and Braden Lewis, 187 (94-93). Moore birdied Nos. 10 and 12 Monday. Devyn Johnson birdied No. 13.
Salina Sacred Heart 597 (297-300) captured its eighth consecutive 2A state golf championship by 44 strokes over Hill City's 641 (315-326).
3A STATE
HESSTON GOLF COURSE
TEAM TOTALS—1—Salina Sacred Heart, 597 (297-300); 2—Hill City, 641 (315-326); 3—Hoxie, 654 (331-323); 4—Elkhart, 658 (329-329); 5—Ellinwood, 680 (340-340); 6—Hays Thomas More Prep, 700 (358-342)
DID NOT QUALIFY—7—Syracuse 359; 8—Berean Academy 360; Topeka Cair Paravel 360; 10—Pittsburg Colgan 367; 11—Lyndon 382; 12—Alma Wabaunsee 384
TOP 20 MEDALISTS—1—Mike Matteucci, SSH, 142 (69-70); 2—Drew Heinz, Ellinwood, 142 (73-69); 3—Luke Newell, SSH, 147 (74-73); 4—Cooper Bagley, Hill City, 153 (77-76); Alex Gallegos, St. Marys, 153 (76-77); Walker Tuttle, SSH, 153 (76-77); 7—Bodie Higgins, Elkhart, 158 (76-82); 8—Brady Jones, Hoxie, 158 (81-77); 9—Noah Fry, Hill City, 159 (79-80); Ethan Rush, KC Christian, 159 (83-76); 11—Pake Dewey, TMP, 160 (85-75); 12—Austin Carroll, Ellis, 161 (83-78); 13—Max Ehrlich, SSH, 161 (78-83); Tate Weimer, Hoxie, 161 (84-77); 15—Ben Deges, Hill City, 162 (76-86); Hunter Newell, SSH, 162 (82-80); 17—Lincoln Barnes, Hutchinson Trinity, 163 (88-75); Noal Dowell, Hoxie, 163 (81-82); Murray Houtz, Elkhart, 163 (84-79); Clay Nave, Elkhart, 163 (79-84)
ELLINWOOD—2—Drew Heinz, 142 (73-69); 21—Mason Moore, 165 (81-84); 44—Alex Bowyer, 186 (92-94); 46—Braden Lewis, 187 (94-93); 51—Asher Miller, 211 (109-102); 54—Devyn Johnson, 226 (118-108)
3A DODGE CITY
DODGE CITY — Larned's Talon Reynolds placed 21st with a 161 score (79-82), just missing top 20 medalist honors Tuesday at the 3A state golf championship at Dodge City's Mariah Hills Golf Course.
Larned's Easton Fitzpatrick shot 85 and didn't qualify for the second round. Fitzpatrick placed 25th (83) and Reynolds (87) finished 39th in the 2022 3A state championship at Salina.
Olathe Heritage (310) leads Sabetha (321). Olathe's Owen Evans (72) is tied with Santa Fe Trail's Lane Workman (72) for first place.
1A EMPORIA
EMPORIA — St. John's Conner Gillespie shot 169 (82-87) to earn 16th medalist honors at Tuesday's 1A state golf championship at Emporia Municipal Golf Course.
