Wheeling Central Has Eyes On Repeat Title In Class A Golf Tournament

Photo by Kim North

WHEELING - Although it didn't play as well as it could have, defending Class A champion Wheeling Central sits atop the small class leaderboard after the first day of the West Virginia state high school golf tournament.

The Maroon Knights top three players combined for an 18-hole score of 253 on the par-71 Robert Trent Jones course at the Speidel Golf Club inside Oglebay Park. That total was four shots better than Summers County and Wahama which fired a 257.

Wheeling Central's performance on the sun-soaked Ohio County course left head coach Jim Mortakis with mixed emotions.

"I was happy but I was also disappointed," he said. "I am pleasantly surprised to be in the lead. It's amazing."

Wheeling Central only returned two players - Luke Tiu and Landon Prager - from last fall's title team, losing its No. 1 and No. 2 players in Justin Doerr and Ryan Castanzo.

"I don't know if there is any pressure on the kids to repeat. I try not to put any on them," Mortakis added. "The only way to get yourself in position to win the championship is to play well on the first day and play well on the second."

Tiu, who earned all-state laurels last season, currently sits in second place in the Class A individual portion of the two-day, 36-hole event which resumes today when the first golfer tees off at 8:30. The junior carded a 6-over 77 and trails Wahama's Grant Roush by five strokes.

"Luke is a good second day player," Mortakis noted. "I look for him to make up some shots, but Grant is a very consistent player. He would really have to falter for Luke to win."

Wheeling Central's Landon Prager and Ashton Glover each shot 88 to sit in a tie for 14th. Bodie Burge is the fourth Maroon Knight player. He fired a 98.

Prager will tee off at 10:35 today, with Glover at 10:45 and Tiu at 10:55.

Charleston Catholic's Will Grucen and Petersburg's Lucas Riggleman each shot 79.

In Class AAA, Wheeling Park's duo of Campbell Koegler, an all-state performer a year ago, and Andrew Pennybacker are tied for seventh. Each carded a 78, which is seven shots behind leader Tommy Evans of Washington High who was the lone player not in red at even par.

"We gave away some strokes on the putting greens, but so did everyone else," Wheeling Park head coach Don Headley said. "The fairways were bouncing and the greens were tough. I'd say the Jones Course neon today."

He still has confidence in his pair.

"They will probably have to shoot 1- of 2-over par on Wednesday to have a shot to sneak in."

Pennybacker will start at 9:20, with Koegler teeing off at 10:10.

Washington leads the Class AAA field with a 234. Hurricane is only a shot back, with Cabell Midland (239) and Morgantown (242) still in contention.

In Class AA, Winfield, with all four of its players in the top seven, fired a 240 for a 13-shot lead over Fairmont Senior. Shady Spring (264) is a distant third.