Lima Central Catholic survived 30-40 MPH winds, and a determined challenge by Columbus Grove, to win the 2010 Northwest Conference Golf Tournament at Hawthorne Hills in Lima.  The tournament victory also secured the fifth consecutive overall conference golf championship for the Thunderbirds.

The T-Birds shot a team total of 328 to outdistance second place Columbus Grove (348).

Spencerville (362) finished third in the tournament, and Bluffton (377) came in fourth.

L.C.C. senior, Austin Stolly, was the tournament medalist with a 79.  He defeated his Thunderbird teammate, Josh Klaus (79) in a playoff.  Third place went to Matt Gray of Ada with an 81.  He defeated Trevor Crites of Spencervile (81) in a playoff for that honor.

Following today’s play, the tournament finish for each school was combined with their regular season finish to determine the final golf standings for the NWC for 2009.   L.C.C. won both the regular season and tournament, and took first place with a perfect 20 points.  Columbus Grove(18), Spencerville (16), Bluffton(14), and Paulding (12) rounded out the top five.

Following today’s action, the NWC also presented it’s All-Conference Awards for 2010.

The coaches voted Travis Gallmeier of Columbus Grove and Mike Harmon of Spencerville as ‘CO- COACHES OF THE YEAR’, and Trevor Crites of Spencerville earned ‘PLAYER OF THE YEAR’ honors by virtue of points earned during each regular season match.  Crites earned 197 out of a maximum 216 points to edge Columbus Grove’s Clay Bryan (195.5).   Crites and Bryan  were joined on the NWC First Team by Taylor Hoehn of Lincolnview (189), Matt Gray of Ada (186.5), Josh Klaus of LCC (185.5) and Zack Krick of Bluffton (185).

NWC ALL-CONFERENCE GOLF TEAMS

2010

FIRST TEAM,  SCHOOL,  POINTS

1. Trevor Crites, Spencerville, 197

2. Clay Bryan, Col. Grove, 195.5

3. Taylor Hoehn, Lincolnview, 189

4. Matt Gray, Ada, 186.5

5. Josh Klaus, L.C.C., 185.5

6. Zack Krick, Bluffton, 185

SECOND TEAM

1. Evan Crites, Spencerville, 183

2. Tyler Myers, Crestview, 177

3. Ben Buroker, Bluffton, 176.5

4. Sam Heilshorn, Paulding, 172

5. Austin Stolly, L.C.C., 169.5

6. Matt Waldick, Del. Jefferson, 168.5

Austin Goodridge, L.C.C., 168.5

HONORABLE MENTION

1.   Taylor Giesige, Col. Grove, 165

2.   Dylan Mulholland, Allen East, 164

3.   Ben Bailey, Ada, 148.5

4.   Jared Hallfeldt, Crestview, 147

5.   Dylan Layman, Spencerville, 147

6.   Nick Gallmeier, Del. Jefferson, 142.5

7.   Lucas Herrmann, Allen East, 139.5

8.   Matt Silver, Col. Grove, 139

9.   Dillon Ankney, Paulding, 138

10. Devan Bermejo, Paulding, 137

11. Clay Wannemacher, Bluffton, 134

12. Brooks Ludwig, Lincolnview, 127.5