COLUMBUS — It’s getting customary for Bryce Lehman to talk about the Galion golf team’s success. But the veteran coach doesn’t mind.

The boys team finished seventh in the state Division II boys tournament Saturday at The Ohio State University Scarlet Course.

“The weekend as a whole, I’m proud of them. I’m proud of them for today also,” Lehman said.

The Tigers finished eighth with a total of 355. This was the school’s sixth straight trip to the state tournament.

“Yesterday we didn’t have the wind early for the first nine holes. The wind kicked up for the second nine holes,” he said. “We still held it together. As soon as we woke up at the hotel this morning and came outside, we were like ‘the wind’s already starting.'”

Lehman also noticed the lack of rain made play a bit tougher on all the golfers.

“Mother Nature didn’t do us any favors, you know. The lack of rain for the last week and a half or so down here. The golf course is really hard, really fast. Balls aren’t checking on the greens,” he noted.

“It’s the same for everybody, but it was a pretty tough golf course for two days. You might as well be putting on a pool table with the 30 mile-per-hour gusts.”

Lehman pointed to “a couple of bad holes early on. A couple of those bad holes turned into a string of three or four bad holes in a row. We wanted to be in the top half. But getting down here six times in a row and getting to experience it.”

For seniors Nick McMullen and Nate Barre, it was their fourth trip to the state tournament.

“It’s really cool for them and for Gavin (Crim) as our alternate and Braylen to see and play the golf course.”

“It’s really, really cool,” said Nick McMullen. He led the way with an 82 on Saturday.

“We’ve had a lot of success and it’s not the same kids every year. My sophomore year we graduated three seniors and had to bring up some new kids,” he said.

McMullen shot back-to-back 82s.

“The conditions were so tough. It could have been worse. I had to grind it out. Everybody had to grind it out all day. I played better on the back today than I did yesterday (Friday).”

McMullen thinks the future is bright as the Tigers have a tradition to uphold next season.

“We got to get those middle-schoolers out there playing. We graduate four seniors this year. We’re counting on freshmen next year,” he said.

He plans to play collegiate golf but hasn’t decided on a school or a course of study yet.

“The cupboard’s not bare. Logan (Keller) comes back, and Nate McMullen comes back. Carson Walker should be on varsity next year. We’re going to have some spots to fill with some incoming freshmen and we’ve done that before.”

The Galion Junior High program is in good shape.

“They keep sending players our way,” Lehman said.

“There are a couple good players down there. I’m not gonna drop names, but there are some kids coming. A couple in seventh grade are here now itching to play.”

Lehman said the players who play two-day tournaments in the summer have an advantage when golfing at state.

“I think it helps them. I’m not done yet; I’ve got to go out and do it again. Holding it together for a high school kid period, for two days, at a place as tough as this.”

Lehman said his team has much to be proud of this fall, including a M Conference Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference championship, a 12-0 regular season record, a district title and being state qualifiers again.

“What more could you ask for?” he said. “I’m proud of them.”

SCORES

8th Galion 355

1. Nick McMullen 12 41 41 82

2. Logan Keller 11 50 40 90

3. Nate McMullen 10 47 44 91

4. Nate Barre 12 44 48 92

5. Braylen Hart 12 45 51 96

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Alter 618

2. Columbus Academy 634

3. Carrollton 653

4. Chagrin Falls 678

5. Wyoming 685

6. Ottawa Hills 689

7. Galion 693

8. Lake Catholic 701

9. Chardon NDCL705

10. Van Buren 707

11. Gallia Academy 722

12. Sheridan 731

DIVISION III AT SUNBURY

Mohawk boys team competed at NorthStar Golf Course.

SCORES

11th Mohawk 359

1. Kael Margraf 12 41 41 82

2. Lance Frankart 10 46 41 87

3. Hunter Haynes 10 47 47 94

4. Ryan Bogner 12 46 50 96

5. Travis Geary 11 52 48 100

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Seven Hills 659

2. Newark Cath. 664

3. Delphos St. John’s 676

4. Fort Frye 680

5. Minster 694

6. Mid. Christian 694

7. Warren JFK 695

8. Dalton 710

9. Mooney 723

10. Ottoville 724

11. Mohawk 736

12. North Adams 736