By GREG KEIM

greg.keim@goshennews.com

Just one year after Northridge lost the sectional boys golf championship on a tiebreaker, the Raiders were on the other side of fortune Friday at Spring Meadow Farm in Middlebury.

Northridge and Prairie Heights both finished Friday’s round with 330 four-player team scores.

Northridge ended up winning the title on the fifth man’s score as sophomore Jeremy Kauffman carded a 94, compared to Derrick Shipe’s 95 for Prairie Heights.

A year ago, Concord and Northridge also carded 330s, but the Minutemen won the tie-breaker.

“This shows how tough this sectional is,” Northridge coach Dennis Sienicki said. “Anyone of seven teams could have gotten out. It depended on which played well.

Lakeland grabbed the third and final regional spot with a 347.

The Goshen Redskins placed fourth at 349. Fairfield fifth at 350 followed by NorthWood 352, Concord 355, Westview 370, Elkhart Central 381, Elkhart Memorial 390, Elkhart Christian 408, Jimtown 414 and Bethany Christian 463.

The top three teams and three leading individuals, not on advancing teams, qualify for Thursday’s regional at Orchard Ridge Country Club near Fort Wayne.

This is Northridge’s ninth sectional championship in boys golf. Others were in 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2006 and 2007.

“For the most part as a team we stayed away from triple bogeys,” Sienicki said. “We had a couple due to bad decisions, but for mostly our scores were bogeys or pars.

“Golf is different than some other sports. It’s a team sport, but you don’t have contact with your teammates out on the course.”

Freshman Logan McBride posted the low score for Northridge with a 41-38—79.

“The last couple of weeks Logan’s game has been coming along. He has been playing solid,” Sienicki said. “His swing is nice. Early in the season he was trying to hit the ball as hard as he could. Today he had very good tempo. He also made some nice putts.”

Also for the winners, sophomore Andy Morrison had a 41-40—81, sophomore David Long 42-42—84 and junior Colin Roberts 41-45—86.

NorthWood senior Brady Klotz earned medalist honors with a 34-40—74. He had birdies on No. 1, 3, 4, 6 and 15.

“Klotz had a phenomenal round,” Sienicki said. “Anyone who broke 80 today did a great job.”

Also moving on as individuals are Fairfield sophomore Brian Ulrich with a 37-40—77 and Concord junior Matt Lower 40-42—82.

“I had trouble early on,” Ulrich said. “I started on the back nine and bogeyed 11 and 12. When I played the front I went birdie, bogey, birdie.

“My drives were in the fairway. You have to keep the ball in the fairway on this course. It feels great to be going to regional. It’s what I have been hoping for all season.”

Lakeland was led by freshman Cody Richardson 41-43—84, senior Cole Pechin 42-45—87, junior Jordan McMaken 44-43—87, senior Jacob O’Brian 42-47—89 and junior Taylor Wesling 43-48—91.

“I knew it was touch-and-go,” Lakeland coach Jon Roush said. “On the No. 14 hole I told my assistant that from here on every shot was going to count. Coming in it seemed like we would have a bad hole and then Goshen would have a bad one.

“I watched a couple groups come in and then went to sit in the clubhouse. It was too nerve wracking.”

Goshen was led by sophomore Steven Koronkiewicz 41-44—85, seniors Collin Chapman 41-47—88, Eric Peters 47-41—88 and Matt Diller 43-45—88 and sophomore Brandon Doss 51-53-104.

“We knew it would be close,” Goshen coach Brent Randall said. “We were 1-1 with Northridge during the season, beating them here and losing at Warsaw. We were 2-2 with Lakeland and narrowly edged Prairie Heights in the Lakeland Invitational.

“It’s heartbreaking to lose by two strokes. I feel badly for the seniors who will not get another chance. I wish it could have turned out differently for them.”