INDIANAPOLIS — Eighth-ranked Columbus North was feeling pretty good Monday when it fired a 290 and looked to be in good position to capture the Conference Indiana boys golf tournament.
When the scores of sixth-ranked Bloomington South started to get updated on the scoreboard, the Bull Dogs’ dreams vanished.
The Panthers edged past the Bull Dogs to win with a 282. Perry Meridian claimed third with a 303, and Bloomington North was fourth with a 320.
North senior Matt Vorndran tried to make sure the Bull Dogs did not come away empty-handed when he fired a 3-under-par 68. Bloomington South’s Tanner Shapiro, however, edged him out to claim the individual championship with a 5-under 66. Joe Weiler of Bloomington South was third with a 1-under 70.
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“I’m really proud of Matt. He played a super round for us today,” North coach Doug Bieker said. “I wish he would have gotten the individual win. We are definitely moving in the right direction after a brief hiccup we had Saturday (with a seventh-place finish at the Zionsville Invitational). It’s tough to lose like this when somebody beats you when you have a good round.”
Four Bull Dogs finished in the top 10 to make the All-Conference team. Along with Vorndran, Bryce Turner shot a 73 to tie for seventh place. Drew Smith scored a 74 to capture eighth place overall and Zachary Schiavello carded a 75 to tie for ninth.
Spencer Fairbanks was named honorable mention following a 77.
“It was a great day, but I started a little bit rough just scrambling with it,” Vorndran said. “I calmed down and then focused on my swing and hit some really good shots throughout the day, and I was able to hit some putts. We came really close to shooting to our potential, but we did pretty good, and I think it will get only better from here.”
Turner agrees with Vorndran but added that the Bull Dogs will probably have to beat Bloomington South in next month’s regional if they want to make it to state.
“I feel like probably all of us left a couple shots out there, but Bloomington South played pretty well, and it is pretty tough to beat 282,” Turner said. “We’ll likely have to beat them to go out of regional and make the state tournament. That has been our goal all year — to get to state. We just have to focus on playing better.”
