By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PIKETON — Eli Ford went solo for his success while the Coal Grove Hornets did it as a group.

Ford — a junior for the St. Joseph Flyers —took medalist honors and the Hornets were team championss at Wednesday’s Division 3 sectional golf tournament at Big Beaver Creek Golf Course in Piketon.

“I would say they stepped up and Peake at just the right time,” said Hornets’ coach Shawn Watson. “For a course that hasn’t seen rain in six weeks the fairways and greens are firm and fast. These kids adjusted, played smart and went into this tournament with confidence.”

The Hornets posted a 325 team score to win the tournament by 7 shots over Waterford who had a 332.

Reedsville Eastern had a 339, Belpre 348 and Beaver Eastern 358 to round out the qualifiers.

The 5 teams advance to the district tournament along with the top 5 individuals not on a qualifying team.

Ford shot rounds of 35 and 40 to give him a 75 and medalist honors for the tournament.

Coal Grove was led by sophomore Joel Beals with a 79 on rounds of 38 and 41.

Net up for the Hornets were 3 juniors. Maddox Rowe went 38-42 for an 80, Logan Coffman 45-38 and Noah Holmes 43-40 as each shot an 83. Sophomore Colin Harmon went 45-46 for a 91 total.

“They are a young group of boys who love the game of golf and want to win. This was the second year in a row this group has pulled out a win in the sectional at Big Beaver,” said Watson.

“The different this year was they beat last year’s score by 19 strokes which showed me how much more they wanted to prove they can compete year after year.”

Ford’s total of 75 was 2 shots better than a trio of golfers.

Ford’s junior teammate Sam “Bam Bam” Walker carded rounds of 41 and 38 for a 79 total to finish tied for fifth place and earned a berth in the district tournament.

The other individual qualifiers were South Webster’s Owen Mault with a 77, Portsmouth Clay’s Tristan Large with an 80 and Southern’s Rece Johnson 87,

Southern was sixth at 363, the St. Joseph Flyers 366, South Webster 387, Trimble 408, Miller 420 and Federal Hocking 428,

Along with Ford and Walker, senior Brady “Quinn” Medinger shot 56-47 for a 103 total, freshman  Eli Whaley 56-53 for a 109 total and freshman Rex Weber 57-60 to a 117.

The Green Bobcats senior Kiefer McCalvin shot 47-55 for a 102 total and sophomore Caleb Lewis went 51-54 for a 105 score.

The district will be held on Monday at the Portsmouth Elks Country Club. The top team and individual not on the qualifying team advance to the state tournament.