By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
There are but three certainties in life.
Death. Taxes. And Sacred Heart state golf titles.
On Wednesday, the Knights captured an 11th-straight 2A crown at Quail Ridge Golf Course in Winfield, further extending one of the most unbreakable records in the state of Kansas.
“Even after all this time every year is so special,” Sacred Heart head coach Patrick Newell said. “We’ve won 11 in a row and we know that has to end sometime but until then we cherish it.”
Initially, it looked like this would be a breeze for Sacred Heart, who led the pack with a 13-stroke edge over Hutch Trinity after the first day.
The sailing on Wednesday however, was not as smoot, and entering the back nine, the Knight’s lead had slimmed to just two strokes over second-place Syracuse.
Many teams would have cracked under the pressure, but the Knights buckled down, and by the final hole, had re-established a comfortable lead, earning the state title with a six-stroke advantage.
This state victory was won in a slightly different fashion from year’s past, with Ethan Newell, who took 8th, finishing the event as the only Knight inside the top ten.
“We didn’t have the firepower we have in the past but we’ve got a bunch of blue collar kids that show up and work hard every single day,” Coach Newell said. “At each tournament someone different takes the lead but they’re in it to win it.”
While the Knights had just one top-ten finisher, they placed five inside the top 20, with Will Tuttle (11th), Jake Koksal (14th), Ben Marrs (16th), and Dom Matteucci all posting strong results.
“It was a big time sigh of relief to see us finish so strong,” Newell said. “I’m so proud of my son Ethan, he played lights out at a difficult course. Ben Marrs shot 83 on the last day and that’s what we needed. Dom Matteucci has played well throughout the entire year, Will Tuttle’s always been solid, we don’t win withiout him, and then our superstar freshman Luke Koksal, he led us day one. I couldn’t be more proud of this group.”
Sacred Heart will graduate Will Tuttle, Ben Marrs, and Cody Burr this offseason, but will be eager to get back on the links when the 2027 season gets underway.
Full results from the state tournament can be found below.
2A Golf Team Results
1. Sacred Heart - 643
2. Syracuse - 649
3. Hutch Trinity - 665
4. TMP - 679
5. Oakley - 682
6. St. Mary's - 714
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7. Cair Paravel - 349
8. St. Mary's Colgan - 352
9. Trego - 373
10. Ellinwood - 382
11. Sterling - 386
12. Republic County - 389
Sacred Heart Individual Results
8th. Ethan Newell - 158, +14
11th. Will Tuttle - 160, +16
14th. Jake Koksal - 163, +19
16th. Ben Marrs - 164, +20
19th. Dom Matteucci - 169, +25