Vermilion, Perkins, Bellevue grab top 3 sectional spots

OXFORD TWP. — Vermilion led a Northern Ohio Conference sweep at the top of the leaderboard at Thursday's Division II boys golf sectional at Woussickett Golf Course. The Sailors shot a 309 to easily repeat as team champions while Perkins (324) and Bellevue (327) also qualified for next Tuesday's district tournament at Maumee Bay State Park Golf Course. "We set a couple goals and we definitely bested them," Vermilion coach Joe Schneid said. "We wanted to do plus-40 and to finish plus-29 is huge. Riding a lot of confidence right now. "Our conference is a gauntlet. We knew as long as we took care of business us, Perkins and Bellevue should all make it out." The team qualifiers came down to the final hole with Bellevue sweating it out on the bubble. A Shelby player double-bogeyed No. 18 and the Redmen edged the Whippets by two strokes. "It was very tense," Bellevue coach Luke Spurlock said. "Blake (Sutherland) played really well and everyone else was below average. We put ourselves in a bad spot and had to get lucky there at the end. "We get another chance. I will take this score next week at Maumee Bay." Perkins, led by seniors Colton Kelley (76) and Kyle Schaefer (79), advanced to district play for the first time since 2020. "We didn't play as well as we can play, but we played OK," Perkins coach Tim Zapadka said. "We knew it would be close. This is a tight sectional. "These guys worked their tails off. They're out here every day playing and grinding. They earned it." Schaefer will be playing in the district tournament for the third straight year. Kelley joined him as an individual qualifier last year. "They know what comes next and they know how to manage it," Zapadka said. "They understand what to do." Ty Obergefell (83) and Bruce Crabtree (86) rounded out the Pirates' scorecard on a sunny day at Woussickett. Vermilion junior Sam Riddle was medalist with a 1-over 71. He was medalist last Friday at the Erie County tournament, shooting a 74 at Plum Brook Country Club. "These greens are playing like glass today," Riddle said. "I had practice rounds Monday and Tuesday and was struggling with the putting. Coming off a win last Friday, I had a lot of confidence and knew what I had to do and did it." Riddle bogeyed two of the first three holes before a birdie on No. 4. "That kinda got me going until No. 7, a par 3," Riddle said. "I hit the green and four-putted and that really got in my head for a second. I parred 8 and 9 and got going into that bogey-less back nine." Riddle, who shot a 79 last year at the Woussickett sectional and carded a 76 as a freshman, shot a clutch 33 on the back. He birdied Nos. 16 and 17 before a par on No. 18. He sank a 25-foot putt for birdie on 17. "That was good putt," he said. "I was finally figuring it out." Vermilion senior Noah Penton, last year's sectional medalist, shot a 76. Also scoring for the Sailors were seniors Jackson Fahr (79) and Landon Booker (83). "Our top three are studs — Sam, Noah and Jackson — and the two seniors behind got good heads on their shoulders," Schneid said. "Playing other sports builds some of that confidence." Riddle said the Sailors have strong chemistry and are good friends off the golf course. "We didn't really know what was going to happen coming into the season with some of these guys only playing JV last year," he said. "They figured it out early and helped us get to district." Huron's Grant Humphrey and Margaretta's Jaxson Bohn each shot 80 to grab two of the four district spots for individuals not on qualifying teams. Sutherland led Bellevue with a 74. The senior birdied Nos. 2 and 3 and fired an even-par 35 on the front nine before closing with five straight pars for a 39 on the back. "It's my arch-nemesis course," Sutherland said. "My sophomore year I shot 33 on the front and 46 on the back. I just knew if I stayed hot on the front, which I usually do, it would give me some relief for the back. I broke 40 for the first time in my life on the back." Also scoring for the Redmen were Jackson Decker (83), Kaden Beard (85) and William Cooper (85). "We weren't playing how we expected to," Sutherland said. "We expected to be top three and maybe win it, but we're moving on and that's what matters." WOUSSICKETT SECTIONAL TEAM SCORES 1. Vermilion, 309; 2. Perkins, 324; 3. Bellevue, 327; 4. Shelby, 329; 5. Galion, 337; 6. Ontario, 350; 7. Margaretta, 351; 8. Huron, 359; 9. Edison, 360; 10. Willard, 367; 11. Clear Fork, 370; 12. Port Clinton, 379; 13. Bucyrus, 398 TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS Sam Riddle, Vermilion, 71; Blake Sutherland, Bellevue, 74; Noah Penton, Vermilion, 76; Colton Kelley, Perkins, 76; Grady Schroeder, Shelby, 79; Kyle Schaefer, Perkins, 79; Jackson Fahr, Vermilion, 79; Jaxson Bohn, Margaretta, 80; Cullen Hart, Galion, 80; Grant Humphrey, Huron, 80