By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CIRCLEVILLE — Seems like old times.

It’s been 14 years since the Ironton Fighting Tigers’ golf has qualified for the state tournament.

Make that zero years.

On Wednesday at Crown Hill Golf Club, the Fighting Tigers finished second in the Division 2 district championship by a mere stroke and earned a berth in the state tournament Sunday and Monday, Oct. 13-14, at the Akron Firestone Country Club.

Ironton is making its first state tournament appearance since 2009 and 12th overall.

“We wanted to win the thing, but you’ve got to get to Akron to win it and we did that today. I think we had our B-minus game, maybe even C or C-minus. Nobody really had their best stuff today, but days like today make me proud as a coach. They’ve got grit. I couldn’t be more proud of them for the way they played today.”

Playing on their home course, Westfall shot a 325 team score to Ironton’s 326. The top two teams and top two individuals not on a qualifying team advance to the state tournament.

Kerns downplayed the fact Westfall was playing on its home course and said it wasn’t the reason they were second to Westfall.

“I don’t think (Westfall) had that significant of an advantage over our kids,” said Kerns. “We’ve played the course a lot. They played about how I thought they would play based on their scores.

“(Westfall is) a very solid golf team. I think we just had a little bit of an off day. That’s clearly our highest 18-hole score this year by seven or eight shots. The kids will tell you that we didn’t play well.”

Ironton was led by junior Carson Blankenship with a 77 on rounds of 37 and 40. Blankenship was one shot off of Fairland Dragons’ senior Jeremiah Fizer who shot a 76 to take medalist honors.

Westfall’s Colton Brungarth also shot a 77.

Ironton senior Hunter Freeman shot an 79 on rounds of 38 and 41, senior Elijah Ford went 42-39 for an 81 total, freshman Silas Keyes shot 43-46 for an 89, and senior Judah Barnes was 42-49 for a 91.

“We got every shot out we could out of today’s round. I really believe that,” said Kerns. “Carson made some mistakes, but they’re so much more magnified because the teams are better. Every shot matters.

“Fairland played well. They gave us a scare for a while, but our kids hit their spots when they had to and they played that closing stretch pretty well.”

Fairland was third with a 335 team total led by Fizer. Junior E.B. Hall went 42-41 for an 83, sophomore Kyle Salyer had an 85 on 43-42, junior Kiyan Page was 47-44 for a 91, and freshman Hunter Leep went 51-52 for a 103 total.

Gallipolis junior Braeden Cardwell shot a 39-40 for a 79 and qualified for the state tournament as an individual as he won the first hole of a playoff against Grant Cline of Logan Elm who was also playing on his home course.

Gallipolis was fifth with a 346 team score.

The Coal Grove Hornets placed 10th as a team with both senior Logan Coffman and sophomore Jayden Webb leading the team with an 89 total. Coffman shot 48-41 and Webb 45-44.

Junior Joel Beals went 46-45 for a 91, sophomore Carson Hicks had identical rounds of 48 for a 96 score and senior Noah Holmes was 52-45 for a 97.

Chesapeake Panthers’ senior Jacob Skeens had an 86 on rounds of 44-42.

Ironton will spend the next 10 days preparing for the state tournament. Kerns said he’s been impressed with how the Tigers have battled all season and will now get to enjoy the fruits of their work. He said that obviously there will be plenty of good teams to compete against, but the Ironton coach has confidence in his team.

“I like our five kids. I’d go to battle with them every chance I can,” said Kerns. “I believe in their games. I believe in how tough they are mentally. Today was even more of a reason to believe.”