With the wind whipping and scores starting to soar higher, Jesuit High School boys golf had to find a way to buckle down.
Of course, that’s nothing new for the 2024 Metro League champions and its core of seniors in Mason Zimmerman, Grady Brown and Evan Post.
Mix in a couple juniors going low in Joseph Ulrich and Jack Harrington, and for the 10th time in program history, the Crusaders left Quail Valley Golf Course in Banks on May 14 as state champions.
The 10th blue trophy puts Jesuit into a tie for first all-time in boys golf state titles, tied with Medford and Lake Oswego.
“These guys showed a lot of toughness today, it was a tough day out there,” Jesuit head coach Matt Schulte said. “We came in with the lead, and started to slip a little bit. We just responded, held it and played real tough down the stretch. Just a character day for these guys.”
Jesuit posted an impressive 4-over 292 as a team in the first round of the state tournament on Monday, May 13 to come into day two with an 11-stroke lead over Grants Pass in second.
Harrington and Zimmerman each shot even-par 72 to lead the effort while Brown was 1-over 73 and Ulrich shot a 3-over 75. Post’s score didn’t make the team count but wasn’t far behind at 4-over 76.
The first few holes of day two looked like Jesuit would run away with the title as that 4-over number didn’t move much and was actually hanging one shot lower at 3-over.
However, the wind picked up as the day went on and started to push the Crusaders shots out of line and cause a little frustration for the leaders.
Harrington shot a 4-over 40 on the back nine while Brown went out at 5-over 41 and Ulrich wasn’t too far ahead on the front nine at 4-over 40.
Zimmerman was able to maintain his line though, shooting a 2-over 74 on the day to finish at 2-over 146 for the tournament, ending in a five-way tie for third place individually. He carded a 1-over 37 on the back nine despite the wind blowing while Ulrich was able to recover as well with a 2-under 34.
“I think it’s just trust in your preparation,” Zimmerman said. “We as a team work really hard to make sure our game is gonna feel good this time of year and we just trust ourselves.”
Harrington was the last one on the course, and when his final putt went down on No. 18, he was met with a shower of water from the bottles of his Jesuit teammates celebrating the championship they knew was in hand.
Jesuit finished at 19-over 595 as a team to win the state title, holding off Lake Oswego in second at 24-over 576.
“That was awesome, that’s the culmination of a lot of hard work,” Zimmerman said. “Just pure joy. I couldn’t be happier for me, for the team and for the coaches. Just awesome, great feeling.”
Ulrich ended up as the second-best Crusader for the tournament, carding a 5-over 149 to finish in a tie for 10th and walk away with an individual medal.
Harrington wasn’t too far behind with a 6-over 150, finishing in a tie for 12th that also included Brown.
Post finished in a tie for 35th with a 16-over 160 over the two-day tournament.
“He battled and had a lot of heart today,” Schulte said of Zimmerman. “Grady (Brown), Jack (Harrington) and Joseph (Ulrich), it was five guys playing for each other is what today was. Super proud of them.”
Jesuit has been on what might be considered a drought for them, not having won the boys golf state title since 2019.
However, the 2024 class helped get the Crusaders back in the winner’s circle, something Zimmerman believes is a culmination of each player taking responsibility for their own play.
“This group is super independent, we’re a team definitely, but every one of these guys is a great golfer, a great person and doesn't need a lot of managing,” Zimmerman said. “I was just trying to roll with the punches just as much as they were.”
Schulte said he hopes the biggest lesson his team learned this season is that sometimes you have to trust yourself. Trust that the work you’ve put in will pay off, not focus too much on the score and have fun with friends.
That mentality showed as the Crusaders continued to celebrate with each other, well after the closing ceremony took place outside of the clubhouse.
For Zimmerman and the whole crew, they walk away with a title, but more importantly, a friendship bond that’s cemented in OSAA blue.
“This is definitely what I’ve worked for over the last 10 years, since I picked up a golf club,” Zimmerman said. “This is the ultimate goal. Play well at state, win a state championship for my school and with some of my best friends for life, so this is awesome, it feels great.”
More Washington County results
Westview left Quail Valley with a team trophy as well, finishing in fourth place thanks to a 43-over 619 and holding off West Linn in fifth.
Senior Andy Yang led the effort, finishing second individually with a two-day 1-over 145, eight shots back of Lake Oswego sophomore Drew Woolworth in first at 7-under 137.
Sophomore Jake Rodgers was next in a tie for 12th at 6-over 150, followed by sophomore Alex Yang in a tie for 16th at 9-over 153. Junior Bobby Mouw tied for 69th at 27-over 171 and sophomore Kenton Docktor tied for 79th at 35-over 179.
Sherwood was next, taking sixth as a team at 56-over 632. The Bowmen were led by senior Cohen Gladheim in a tie for 16th at 9-over 153.
Glencoe wasn’t far behind in seventh place, shooting a 60-over 636 as a team. Junior Brody Landaker was the lowest member, tying for 22nd with a 12-over 156.
Tigard was the last Washington County club to qualify as a team, finishing in 11th with an 85-over 661. The top Tiger was junior Jennings Oelke who walked away with an individual medal thanks to a tied-for-10th place finish at 5-over 149.
Mountainside’s top representative was freshman Cisse Noriyasu, taking a tie for 18th place at 10-over 154. Century sophomore Kobe Maurer tied for 65th at 26-over 170 and Forest Grove junior Fredrick Johnson tied for 77th at 34-over 178.
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