CARMEL – It looks like a two-team race between rivals Guerin Catholic and Westfield for the state high school boys golf championship.
Top-ranked Westfield fired a 5-over-par 293 in Tuesday’s first round at Prairie View Golf Club, but that sparkling score was still two shots behind second-ranked and defending state champion Guerin Catholic’s 3-over-par 291.
Guerin Catholic senior and Notre Dame recruit Jacob Modleski set the tone for Guerin Catholic with birdies on Nos. 13, 17 and 18 to finish with a 5-under-par 67. Modleski nearly eagled No. 18 with a 25-foot chip that missed the cup by 3 inches.
“I was just looking for a birdie,” Modleski said with a laugh. “Anything else would have been a little extra. But it was certainly a good chip and a very easy birdie to close off the day.”
Modleski, who finished tied for fifth at state last year and was second as a sophomore in 2021, will go into the final 18-hole round Wednesday tied with defending state champion Aidan Gutierrez of Valparaiso, who also closed strong. Gutierrez finished with birdies on Nos. 13, 15 and 18 to finish with a 33 on the back nine and a 67 for the day.
“For most of the round, to be honest, I actually wasn’t hitting it that great,” Gutierrez said. “I was just keeping it in play and my wedges were great and my putter was great. I was just keeping it out of trouble and staying steady the entire time, trying to give myself opportunities. I putt really well and took advantage of those.”
More from Tuesday’s opening round of state at Prairie View:
Indiana high school golf team race
Two years ago, Center Grove edged Guerin Catholic to win the state championship with a two-day team score of 606. Last year, Guerin Catholic fired a 602 to win the state title by one shot over Westfield.
What number will it take this year?
Westfield coach Josh Bryant was not at all upset with his team’s 293, a score good enough to lead most years by several shots.
“Shooting 293 at the state finals at Prairie View, especially going off on the last group, that’s a great score,” Bryant said. “We haven’t shot a 293 here (at state) since the state championship years a few years ago (Westfield shot a first-round 285 in 2016). We shot a few rounds better than that but not a state. This is a different environment. The boys played great.”
Westfield’s balance, a strength all season, was evident Tuesday. Sophomore Jake Cesare shot a 1-under-par 71, followed by senior Alec Cesare (72), sophomore Will Harvey (73) and senior Cam Kooi (77). Guerin Catholic was led by Modleski’s 67, then junior Leo Wessel (71) and senior Zach Thieme (74). Senior Owen Nielson and freshman Eli Wessel both shot a 79 for the fourth score.
It will take a significant jump for any other team to work into the equation. Unranked Valparaiso is in third place with a 303, 12 shots behind Guerin Catholic and 10 behind Westfield. Third-ranked Hamilton Southeastern (304) and fourth-ranked Bloomington South (304) are tied for fourth with No. 5 Evansville North (307) sixth and No. 6 Zionsville and Tipton tied for seventh (309).
Indiana high school golf individual race
Gutierrez came off the 18thth green saying he was ready for a spaghetti dinner.
Hey, get the kid what he wants. The Valparaiso junior is aiming to become the first back-to-back individual state champion since South Bend Clay’s Jeremy Wilkinson in 1994 and ’95.
“I feel confident on this golf course,” Gutierrez said of returning to the location of last year’s state championship. “It drives my focus and drives my intention. I don’t really see this as pressure. I see this as a motivator to come back and do it again. I feel really good and I’m excited about (Wednesday) after how I finished.”
Modleski is similarly composed and confident.
“Obviously confidence can come and go with every shot,” he said. “But I think I had a really good mindset going into (Tuesday). We’ve been here before. I feel like we are the most prepared team. My goal today was to pick good targets and swing very aggressively. I think I did that very well and it showed up on the card. It doesn’t always show up on the card. But today it did. I’m excited and looking forward to (Wednesday). It should be a really fun day.”
Fairfield sophomore Brayden Miller, playing as an individual, shot a 3-under-par 69 and is two shots off the lead. Zionsville’s Adam Melliere is fourth at 2-under with Carmel’s Mason Price, Guerin’s Leo Wessel, Leo’s Justin Hicks, Bloomington South’s Connor Byon, Westfield’s Jake Cesare and Tipton’s Maverick Conaway all tied at 1-under to round out the top-10.
Final round groups
The top three teams – Westfield, Guerin Catholic and Valparaiso – will go off the first tee in the final five groups. That means Gutierrez, Alec Cesare and Modleski will play together in the final group starting at 10:24 am
Play begins at 8 am
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on the Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school golf: Guerin Catholic, Westfield battle for lead