Great Bend Post Sports
Ellinwood senior Drew Heinz entered the Class 2A State Golf Championships in Dodge City Monday and Tuesday as a two-time state runner-up. He finished three shots behind Salina-Sacred Heart's Michael Matteucci last year, and missed the title by a single shot as a sophomore. Monday was a big day. Heinz shot a 66 on day one to open up a 5-stroke lead. He shot a 74 on Tuesday to finish with 140 strokes and beat the runner-up Matteucci by eight strokes.
"It feels really good," Heinz said. "After the two runners-up, it is awesome to finally get it done. It made it even better with all my friends and family around."
The rest of the Eagle golfers celebrated a second-place team finish. Sacred Heart shot a 612 to win its ninth-straight state championship. Ellinwood finished with 669 strokes to edge out Topeka's Cair Paravel Latin School by 13 strokes. Hutchinson Trinity placed fourth with 691 strokes, and Hoxie rounded out the top five with 701 strokes.
Sacred Heart took the next four three spots behind Heinz and capped team scoring with a 10th-place finisher with a 161. Eagle senior Mason Moore shot a 166 to tie for 15th. Luke Heinz shot a 178 for 35th, and Braden Lewis scored the final team shots with a 185 for 42nd. A.J. Bowyer cut three strokes from his day-one score to place 48th with a 201, and Austin Brack shot a 207 for the Eagles.
Ellinwood is coached by Greg Maxwell.