As the postseason grows closer in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, the state championship hunt becomes clearer and clearer. Eleven local schools have combined to win just 17 championships in the almost century-long history of boys golf state championships in Ohio and Kentucky.
The Enquirer looked back at each of the boys and girls individual golf state champions in Ohio and Kentucky and the local girls golf team champions. Now, here are the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky boys teams to win golf state championships.
Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky boys golf team state champions
Hughes (1928)
Hughes was the team runner-up in the inaugural Ohio High School Athletic Association boys golf state tournament, shooting a 346 to finish two shots behind winner Akron St. Vincent. The next season, Hughes shot a 318 to win the tournament by
23 shots and had the two co-medalists, thanks to Eph Collins and Larry Hendrixon shooting 77s.
Hamilton (1948)
It took two decades for another local team to win the golf title and Hamilton got the job done in 1948. A 688 from Hamilton left it in first place by three strokes over Warren G. Harding. Hugh Quinn led Hamilton with a 166.
Reading (1949)
There was no decades-long wait for the next local champ with Reading securing the 1949 championship. Three of the four Reading golfers, led by John Sears' 162, shot 168 or lower for a team total of 668, two shots better than Alliance.
St. Xavier (1957, 1995, 2008, 2015 and 2016)
The first of St. Xavier's five OHSAA golf state championships came in 1957 with the Bombers shooting a 660, beating Sandusky by seven shots. Jim Stahl led St. Xavier with a 156, but was overshadowed on the tournament leaderboard by the repeat champion, some golfer from Upper Arlington named Jack Nicklaus.
Nearly four decades later, the Bombers climbed back to the top of the state for the 1995 Division I championship. The Bombers, led by Matt Starmann's 159, combined for a 654 to win by six shots over Westerville North.
In 2008, senior Sean Keating tied for third individually with a 158 as the Bombers combined to shoot a 653, storming back on the second day to edge Dublin Jerome by two shots.
Finally, the Bombers' most recent championships were back-to-back in 2015 and 2016. The first came thanks to the Bombers holding their lead over day two to shoot a 616, edging runner-up Dublin Jerome by five shots. The next season, led by co-medalist Cameron Frazier, the Bombers won a weather-shortened tournament with a 303.
Covington Catholic (1969 and 1984)
It was 34 years after the first Kentucky High School Athletic Association boys golf state tournament before a Northern Kentucky team won the whole thing. Covington Catholic did it first, shooting a 627 as a team in 1969 to beat runner-up Bowling Green by a single stroke.
The Colonels won again in 1984 in the most recent Northern Kentucky championship. A 641 from Steve Sorrell's squad was good for the championship, eight shots better than Oldham County. Future professional Steve Flesch shot a 154, tying for tournament runner-up.
Fairfield (1979)
Starting in 1971, the OHSAA split the boys golf tournament from one winner into three classes. It wasn't until 1979 that a local program, Fairfield, won a championship under the new classifications.
Kelly Finney shot a 162 and Steve Cummins and Brett Heinicke followed right behind with 163s as Fairfield combined for a 662 for the championship. Runner-up Wooster finished two strokes behind.
Milford (1989)
In the first year the OHSAA tournament moved from classes to divisions, Milford claimed the 1989 Division I state championship. Milford, led by a 157 from Sam Arnold, totaled 654 as a team, beating Toledo St. John's and Cuyahoga Falls by eight strokes.
Lakota West (2000)
In 2000, Lakota West secured its Division I championship with 633 total, following up a 324 with a 309 in the second round to overtake Ashland for the title. The Firebirds were led by Kenton Hobbs, who fired a 70 on day two to finish with a 153, tied for second, one shot behind Massillon Jackson's Nate Strong.
Moeller (2014)
The Moeller Crusaders won the 2014 Division I championship, the first of three-straight the GCL-South would claim.
Ben Sattler's 154 led the Crusaders, who scored 636 as a team and beat both St. Charles and Upper Arlington by nine strokes.
McNicholas (2016)
The 2016 season was a three-way sweep in Cincinnati with St. Xavier winning in Division I, McNicholas in Division II and Seven Hills in Division III.
In Division II, seniors Ty DeBonis and Zane Brownrigg, who both finished in the top eight individually, led the Rockets. McNick combined for 627, shooting 312 on the first day to enter the final round in first place. They held on with a 315 on day two to win.
Seven Hills (2016 and 2022)
In 2016, Seven Hills shot 319 in the first round and 329 in the second, combining for 648 to finish in first place by 10 shots in the Division III state finals. Jack and Max Lane led the Stingers, with Jack, a senior, shooting 153 to take fifth individually and Max, a sophomore, shooting 157 to tie for seventh.
The most recent local state championship came in 2022 by Seven Hills. Still in Division III, the Stingers were in second place, 12 shots behind Newark Catholic entering the final round. On day two, Seven Hills shot a 322 and Newark Catholic a 339, giving the Stingers 659 total and a five-shot edge for first place.
Junior Charlie Mullin shot a 153, taking third place.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky's all-time boys golf team state champs
