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Crusaders finish runner-up in OVAC 1A/2A Championship

ON THE GREEN — Catholic Central's Brendan Schaefer putts during Tuesday’s OVAC Class 1A/2A golf championship at Oglebay. -- Cody Tomer

WHEELING — One year without an OVAC team trophy was long enough for the Wheeling Central golf team.

Coach Jim Mortakis and the Maroon Knights returned to glory on Tuesday at Oglebay’s Crispin Course as they won their sixth OVAC 1A/2A championship in the last seven years and their eighth title in the last 10 seasons.

Central rolled to a 42-stroke victory with a team card of 298, followed by last year’s defending champion Steubenville Catholic (340), Frontier (343), Conotton Valley (350) and Shadyside (351).

“Our kids work really hard and they practice hard all the time and I’m just proud of them,” Mortakis said. “We had four out of five golfers hit in the 70s and we’ll just keep plugging along.”

Leading the charge for the Knights was junior and defending individual champion Justin Doerr with a 71. For most of the day it looked like he would be the winner until Frontier’s Karter Satterfield finished with a remarkable score of 69 to earn medalist honors

“I would have liked Justin to be able to play with Satterfield so he would have known where he stood but I’m happy that we still had three out of the Top 5 golfers,” Mortakis said.

Doerr finished second, while Wheeling Central’s Ryan Costanzo and Nate Woods were also named All-OVAC with cards of 74 and 75, respectively. Landon Prager (78) and Luke Tiu (82) were solid for Wheeling Central, as well.

“That’s what is great about it, they all make each other push harder,” Mortakis said. “Ryan tries to push Justin everyday and Nate is a newcomer and he is a really long hitter. Luke is a freshman and Landon came through with a really good round and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Doerr drained three birdies on the day, which included the par three No. 1 and two par fives (No. 4 and No. 12). He came close to garnering three more on 15, 16 and 17 but the first two birdie putts sat on the lip of the cup and did not fall and the third lipped out.

“I hit it pretty well but not a lot of putts fell for me,” Doerr said. “But that’s just golf. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I shot a 71 but I had 33 putts. If I make more putts I probably win but it is what it is.”

Doerr defeated Steubenville Catholic Central’s Cole Tegano a year ago in an overtime hole in the OVAC final and he received a good luck text from his old foe before teeing off.

“Cole has kept in touch and has always been really nice to me,” Doerr said. “I look for him to have a lot of success at Cal U (of Pa.).”

As for the overall winner, Satterfield finished fifth last year with a score of 80, which he improved this year by 11 strokes.

“I missed a lot of putts this year and last year but last year I was ripping the driver on every hole and I played stupid,” Satterfield said. “This year, I took it easy and kept my focus.”

Satterfield turned in five birdies in the event on holes 1, 4, 14, 17 and 18.

“I worked all summer, spring and all of last year for this,” he said. “I fell short at sectionals and at OVACs so I just kept grinding and this means a lot.”

Monroe Central’s Zander Potts placed fifth for All-OVAC honors with a card of 77.

OVAC Class 1A/2A

(at Oglebay Park Crispin Course)

Wheeling Central 298, Steubenville Catholic Central 340, Frontier 343, Conotton Valley 350, Shadyside 351, Conotton Valley 350, Trinity Christian 379, Monroe Central 390, Southern 403, Toronto 414, Paden City NS, Bridgeport NS, Clay-Battelle NS.

All-OVAC Team

Karter Satterfield, Frontier, 69

Justin Doerr, Wheeling Central, 71

Ryan Costanzo, Wheeling Central 74

Nate Woods, Wheeling Central

Zander Potts, Monroe Central, 77

Wheeling Central — Doerr 71, Costanzo 74, Woods 75, Prager 78.

Steubenville Cath. — Schaefer 78, Barcalow 83, Gibas 86, O’Karma 93.

Frontier — Satterfield 69, Reed 83, Curtis 91, West 100.

Conotton Valley — Galigher 81, Lambert 84, O’Conner 87, Edie 98.

Shadyside — Tsoras 82, Green 87, Bell 89, Grover 93.

Trinity — Hancox 89, Tudor 93, Mercure 98, Lynch 99.

Monroe Central — Potts 77, Wicktacher 100, Winland 106, Williams 107.

Southern — Tribelo 93, Black 99, Riggs 102, Bach 109.

Toronto — Karaffa 87, Suffoletta 91, Blood 103, Fogle 133.

Paden City — McGinnis 92, Clements 125.

Clay-Battelle — Barr 108, Statler 136.

Bridgeport — Fouty 92, Giffin 110, Puskas 130.

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