Bryan Stone Qualifies for OHSAA District Championship

It was a rollercoaster of a day for Midview senior Bryan Stone at the 2022 OHSAA Division I Boys Golf Sectional, which took place Monday (October 3) at Grey Hawk Golf Club. However it ended in elation after the Middies' top golfer birdied Grey Hawk's par 5 fourth hole to secure the final individual bid to the OHSAA Division I District Tournament.

Stone becomes just the seventh Midview golfer in 19 years to advance out of sectional play. The last Middie to do so was Brett Ward '17, who accomplished the feat as a sophomore in 2014. The District Tournament will take place at Pine Hills on Monday (October 10). The top five teams and top five individuals not representing those teams will advance to the OHSAA State Finals. [>>District Tournament Details]

The tee times for all golfers were delayed 60 minutes Monday due to frost. Stone, with the top golfer from both Bay High School and Olmsted Falls High School, were the first group to tee off the front side at 9:30 a.m. The four-time All-Southwestern Conference performer sat atop the leaderboard at +1 after 11 holes. Unfortunately he struggled amid windy conditions down the stretch and completed his 18 holes with an 81 on the par 72 course.

Being the first among 77 golfers to finish meant Stone had to watch the leaderboard fluctuate on the new OHSAA Golf App for the next few hours and hope he did enough to continue his interscholastic golf career. He was in a similar situation as a sophomore when he finished one stroke away from qualifying in 2020. The likely scenario would be that he would need to win a playoff to advance. 

"Bryan kept checking in and talking over scenarios with me," said Midview Athletics Director Dan May, who is also the Sectional Tournament Manager. "It included waves of doubt, hope, then pessimism and back to optimism as more golfers began to get further into their rounds. Eventually, I told him it is best to start warming back up on the range and that we would notify him and his potential playoff opponent once it was official."

Among the early groups, two Olmsted Falls golfers—senior Ben Scheeff, who played with Stone, and junior Dylan Sowers—finished higher on the leaderboard with an 80 and 77, respectively. In addition, Bay High School Sophomore fifth man Ian Williams also turned in an 81 four groups later. Avon High School junior Hunter McCourt also carded an 80 during one of the later groups.

Coach Kyle Zimmer also joined the roller coaster ride. Due to transportation challenges he and the rest of the team left the course to head back to school at 3:15 p.m. A half hour later it looked likely that Stone would land in the playoff so he traveled back to the course to help him prepare and then ultimately witness the playoff victory.

When the final scores were attested Sowers, Scheeff and McCourt earned the first three individual qualifying slots. Meanwhile, Stone and Williams had to battle in a sudden-death playoff to see who would join them.

Both competitors began the par 5 fourth hole with solid drives into the fairway. Williams was 200 yards out, while Stone a bit closer at 185. Williams' second shot stopped just short of the elevated green. Stone, meanwhile, connected on an 8 iron and his ball came to rest pin high. Stone was able to lag his eagle putt just a few inches away from the hole, and after pausing to collect himself, he tapped in for the winning birdie to extend his season at least one more week. Williams finished with a par.

"Coming into today my only thought was to play well enough to get out." Stone told reporters after. "Don't worry about winning. Don't worry about anything. Just get out. After my round today, I was kind of upset but I can't complain about that because I am heading to districts!"

Stone, who is a favorite among his competitors for the positive attiude and support he brings to each round, will look to extend his final season a little longer with a quality round at Pine Hills. It is a place he is quite familiar with as he shot a league-best 75 at the Southwestern Conference Preview there on August 15. Once again, he will be in the first group teeing off. This time from the back nine at 9 a.m.

Having finally achieved one of the goals he set for himself four years ago, Stone can now simply enjoy the ride.