The final swing.

The boys golf team competed in region this past Monday Sept. 19, 2022 and placed 10th as a team. Aidan Boyer finished in the top 25 shooting 89, Isaac Lewis shot 101, Brayden McMillen shot 111, Cooper Harkey shot 111, and Jayden Clark shot 114. Only the top 10 players in the tournament made the cut to go to the first round of state. 

The score to determine who qualifies for state changes every year depending on how well the field shoots as a whole. This year in order to qualify, the players had to shoot 85. “This is the first year we kind of had to wait around in three years. No one knew exactly what the score would be,” Coach Downs said. With Boyer shooting within 4 strokes of the cut line, it became more and more exciting waiting for other players to come in to see if he was going to make it to the first round of state or not. 

The qualifying for state this year changed to a format it has never been before. This year, two teams and 10 individuals made it to a first round of state where four regions are combined. Three teams and 15 individuals make it out of the first round of state and go to the state tournament in Bowling Green. There is no cut at the state tournament this year. In previous years, there was no first round state. Players who qualified at region for state would go straight to state at Bowling Green. More players would make it to state, but half of the field was cut after the first day. 

“At the end of the day I am pleased with the way it went. I don’t believe I have ever played five guys that haven’t been to region before. I usually have anywhere from two to four or five coming back,” Downs said. It was great for the younger team to get the experience and get the different feel of region. Many players played their normal game or better. Boyer’s score of 89 was his personal record.

This year’s team is one of the youngest Downs has coached in awhile. A lot of the players had never picked up a golf club and were starting their first year at Bullitt East. It took awhile for them to learn more about the game and get used to playing it, but they took to it well. “I’ve been doing this 14 years and this is one of the most fun years to coach them. They showed up, they practiced hard, they learned a lot and they got a lot better,” Downs said. Overall, he is pleased with the season and thinks that they have reestablished their culture.

Boyer feels that his season went well this year and is proud after shooting his record score at the region tournament. “I am pleased with the way I played. I wish I could have done a little bit better but it is what it is,” Boyer said. Something that he feels he could’ve done a little bit better was just make a few more putts or chips, but overall everything went well in his round. 

In the off season, Boyer plans to still practice and keep up his game for next fall. “I usually like to keep a club in my hand so I don’t forget how to hit a ball,” Boyer said. He doesn’t play any tournaments outside of high school golf, but he gets lessons in the off season and plays and hits balls on the range on his own to keep up his game.