FHS golfers seventh in opening tourney

FHS golfers seventh in opening tourney MAUMEE – The high school golf season starts in the mid-summer heat and Ottawa Hills was sizzling on Friday, posting a 288 team score and beating a bunch of bigger schools to win the Toledo St. Francis/Knight Invitational at the Maumee Bay Golf Club. Charlie Sweigart, one of five underclassmen on a 2025 Ottawa Hills team that placed fourth in the Division II state tournament, led the Green Bears, earning medalist honors with a 6-under 66. Toledo St. John's, another traditionally strong program, also broke 300, finishing second with a 298. St. Francis (305), Sylvania Northview (311) and Anthony Wane (314) rounded out the top five. Findlay High posted a 322 team total and was seventh in the team standings. Owen Vick, Findlay's No. 1 player last season and a first-team all-Northern Lakes League selection in 2025, led the Trojans and placed fourth in the medalist standings with an even-par 72. Kellen Sherer, another returning letterman for FHS coach Ryan Grose, fired a 78. Thayne Sheperd carded an 85 and Ashton Holdgreve an 87 for Findlay's 322 total. Ari Fort (89) and Gabe Sterling (90) rounded out the Trojans lineup in their season opener. Findlay will be at the Delphos Country Club today to take part in the Big Green Classic. Ottawa Hills also placed first on Friday in the Flag City Junior Varsity tournament held at Sycamore Springs Golf Course in Arlington. Ottawa Hills posted a winning score of 332. Liberty-Benton carded a 349, Findlay's JVs were sixth with a 355 and Van Buren had a 319. Cincinnati Moeller's Jack Brenzel was the tournament medalist with a 77. Findlay's Will Gutman placed second with an 81. ARLINGTON INV. ARLINGTON – Arcadia already has one tournament title under its belt and Carey has a pair of top five finishes with the 2026 prep golf season just getting underway. Led by tournament medalist Aiden Cline, Arcadia posted a 377 team total and edged Ada (380) to win the Arlington Invitational at Sycamore Springs on Thursday. Cline, a returning second-team all-BVC player for Arcadia, carded a 41-38—79 total, finishing four strokes ahead of Ada senior Brody Rister (83). Waynesfield-Goshen was third (383) in a tightly-packed nine-team field, followed closely by Arlington (384), Lima Temple Christian (386) and North Baltimore (387). Hardin Northern (451), Ridgemont (456) and Pandora-Gilboa (506) completed the field. Many of the schools in the Arlington Invitational will be at the Findlay Country Club today to take part in the BVC Invitational No. 1, the first of three league tournaments that will determine the 2026 BVC champion. H-L INVITATIONAL FOSTORIA – Following a fourth place finish in Thursday's Buckeye Central Invitational, Carey added a fifth place effort in Friday's Hopewell-Loudon/Chieftains Invitational at Loudon Meadows Golf Club. Porter McLaughlin led Carey, posting a score of 79 Thursday at Cranberry Hills and an 87 Friday at Loudon Meadows. Oliver Brooks had rounds of 84 and 89 over the two tournaments, with Dalton Roberts carding scores of 85 and 89. GIRLS GOLF TIFFIN – Upper Sandusky collectively and Wynford's Caroline Sheldon individually were big winners on Friday when the Northern 10 Conference held its first girls golf tournament of the season at Tiffin's Clinton Heights Golf Course. Upper posted a 363 team total in finishing 17 strokes ahead of second-place Hopewell-Loudon (380). Carey was eighth (446) among the 12 schools represented in the event. Sheldon, a top-20 placer at last year's Division II state tournament, sizzled around the Clinton Heights course, posting a 1-under round of 69. She was tournament medalist by 11 strokes over her nearest competitor. Four top 10 finishes powered Upper Sandusky to the team title. Jillian Stansbery was medalist runner-up with an 80, Avi Niederkohr carded a 93, Rylee Williams a 94 and Addison Niederkohr a 96. Aubrey Cline (85) and Brooke Clouse (96) had top 10 placings for Hopewell-Loudon. Mia Kitzler led Carey with a 95. ROYAL OPEN NORTH BALTIMORE – Elmwood was third and Carey seventh in the Royal Open girls golf tournament, hosted by Elmwood and played at North Baltimore's Birch Run Golf Club. Ayersville won the nine-hole event with a score of 196. Otsego had a 203 team total with Elmwood posting a 310. Carey carded a 232. Elmwood's Corrine Abbott fired a 43 to tie Ayersville's Danni Coble for the low round of the day. AD notice FINDLAY – Area athletic directors are asked to submit, as soon as possible, football picture dates for the 2026 season. Information should be sent to sports@thecourier.com. Local Sports Friday's Results BOYS GOLF FT. JENNINGS 191 MCCOMB &emsp;&emsp;214 MEDALIST: Connor Leis, Fort Jennings, 43. OTHER SCORES: (McC) Ethan Rider 48, Grant Schaublin 50, Axton Stateler 50, Noah DePuy 66. Schedule Saturday's Events GIRLS GOLF Findlay at Toledo Notre Dame Invitational, South Toledo GC Monday's Events BOYS GOLF Findlay at Sylvania Northview Invitational, Legacy Golf Course BVC Invitational No. 1 at Findlay Country Club GIRLS GOLF Findlay Lady Trojan Invitational, Sycamore Springs