Madison Central captures first boys’ state golf team championship
Madison Central’s boys’ golf team captured its first state title with a combined score of 24-over par at the 2022 Leachman Buick-GMC-Cadillac KHSAA Boys’ State Golf Championships in Bowling Green.
Led by three players finishing in the top 10 individually, Madison Central topped second place Lexington Christian by nine shots over the two rounds played Tuesday and Wednesday on Bowling Green Country Club’s 6,720-yard, par-72 layout.
“Most people have no idea what it takes to get over the hump and win a state title like that,” said Madison Central Coach Kyle Congleton, whose team fell one shot short as runner-up to Christian Academy-Louisville last year. “It all started two months ago as a team and just the grind they put in every day. The first state title for Central boys’ golf has been a long time waiting and what a special group to get it done with.”
Madison Central’s winning total, combined the scores of Warren Thomis (E), Mason Hamrick (+1), Clay Pendergrass (+4) and Braydon Bond (+19), with the score of fifth golfer Radney Bales (+22) thrown out. Thomas finished fourth in the overall standings, Hamrick, fifth, and Pendergrass in a tie for sixth. Pendergrass, a senior, and Thomis, a junior, were key members of last year’s state runners-up
“Clay has been with me all seven years, basically, and played in the top five for five years,” Congleton said. “Clay Pendergrass has been the face of our program for so long and for him to go out as a senior on top like this? There’s nothing more deserving or rewarding than that to him.”
For the second year in a row, a Christian Academy-Louisville golfer won the individual title. CAL’s Brady Smith carded a two day total of 67-73—140 for 4-under par to top Taylor County’s Seth Smith by one stroke in an 89-player field. Smith was part of the Centurions’ 2021 team state title winners. CAL’s team did not make this year’s State Final Round tournament.
Team runner-up Lexington Christian was led by Grey Goff’s 74-74—148, a 4-over par two-day total, which placed him in a five-way tie for sixth place.
Madison Central established some breathing space after Tuesday’s first round with a combined 9-over par, good enough for a seven shot lead over Bowling Green and an 11-shot gap to LCA.
“We’ve been there, and I think that definitely helped us prepare for what we needed to do,” Congleton said. “We set ourselves up yesterday in great position.”
At the Region 9 Tournament last month, Madison Central shot a program record 276, an astounding combined 12-under par score at Kearney Hill Golf Links and a warning shot to the rest of the state that the Indians would be a threat in Bowling Green this week.
“Everybody knew we would be able to make a run,” Congleton said. “But I was probably as worried at region as ever. … But all year the guys just kept growing and coming closer and closer as a team and a brotherhood. It’s just a special group.”
Madison Central’s girls’ golf team captured the team state title in 2015. The girls’ state tournament was to begin Thursday with Lexington Catholic and Madison Central among nine teams from across the state competing in addition to 45 individual qualifiers.
Individual top 10
1. Brady Smith, Christian Academy-Louisville, -4, 67-73—140; 2. Seth Smith,Taylor County, -3, 71-70—141; 3. Sam Guest, Collins, -1, 73-70—143; 4. Warren Thomis, Madison Central, E, 70-74—144; 5. Mason Hamrick, Madison Central, +1, 69-76—145; T6. Zach Watterson, Lee County, +4, 79-69—148; T6. Ethan Loghry, West Jessamine, +4, 73-75—148; T6. Clay Pendergrass, Madison Central, +4, 75-73—148; T6. Ben Davenport, Bowling Green, +4, 72-76—148; T6. Grey Goff, Lexington Christian, +4, 74-74—148.
Team results
1. Madison Central +24, 297-303—600; 2. Lexington Christian +33, 308-301—609; 3. Bowling Green +35, 304-307—611; 4. Taylor County +39, 306-309—615; 5. Oldham County +42, 316-302—618; 6. Marshall County +51, 309-318—627; 7. South Oldham +65, 327-314—641; 8. Pulaski County +80, 336-320—656; 9. Highlands +109, 339-346—685.
Complete results online: https://bit.ly/3Cfzf2y
This story was originally published October 5, 2022 at 6:38 PM.
