Choctaw boys golf win County title

By JARED MACARIN

jaredm@nwfdailynews.com

When Choctawhatchee boys coach Bill Martin sees his kids having fun on the golf course, he knows good things tend to follow.

That was the case on Thursday at Indian Bayou, where the Indians cruised to the Okaloosa County Championship behind a strong team effort.

Choctaw was led by Brandon Jowers and Kevin Lamson, who tied for second with 72s. Randy Looney had a 78, while Logan Clark carded an 80 for a team total of 303. That was 17 shots better than Fort Walton Beach. Niceville was third, followed by Crestview and Rocky Bayou Christian.

“I knew the guys could do it and they finally threw down the numbers I knew they could,” Martin said. “They had fun and relaxed. They all had big smiles. It made me feel good, and I could tell how great they felt.”

Another person feeling good was Rocky Bayou’s Sean Einhaus. The senior from Germany, who already won the Miracle Strip Invitational and FCA Tournament, mirrored his score in those wins by shooting a 4-under 68. Einhaus fired a 4-under 32 on the front side, but was not overly thrilled with how he finished his round.

“I started pretty well,” said Einhaus, who birdied three of the first four holes. “I turned in 4 under, which was pretty good. I thought I could have made at least three or four more birdies (on the back). I missed four putts under four feet.”

The Vikings were led by Kyle Andre, who finished fourth with a 75. Brett Ochsenreiter was one shot behind him at 76 to placed fifth overall.

FWB coach Ray Totten was hoping for a better result.

“We just need to improve,” Totten said. “Today was for bragging rights. Choctaw played great today. The district tournament is what is most important, and we are focused on that.”

Mike Taylor of Crestview was sixth with a 78, followed by Looney. Clark and Niceville’s Michael Postgate both carded an 80 to tie for eighth, and Kyle Ulrich of Niceville rounded out the top 10 with an 81.

Next up for the teams are the district tournaments next week. Martin is hoping Thursday’s success carries over to the rest of the season.

“Our guys wanted to prove something today and they did,” Martin said. “They’ve had this potential all year, and they all played very well today. I am excited for the guys and hopes it carries over to Monday.”

Team scores: Choctawhatchee 303, Fort Walton Beach 320, Niceville 329, Crestview 395, Rocky Bayou Christian 399

Choctaw: Brandon Jowers 72, Kevin Lamson 72, Randy Looney 79, Logan Clark 80

FWB: Kyle Andre 75, Brett Ochsenreiter 76, Duncan Conroy 83, Andrew Snyder 86

Niceville: Michael Postgate 80, Kyle Ulrich 81, Avery Helms 83, Troy Knighten 85

Crestview: Mike Taylor 78, Jay Morgan 86, Cory Peaden 113, Conner Sullivan 118

RBCS: Sean Einhaus 68, Jason Rogers 105, Chris Doswell 111, Lewis Guthrie 115