Crestview’s Bowman Finishes 11th at OHSAA Division III State Golf; Hillsdale Returns to Prominence with Ninth-Place Team Finish

SUNBURY, Ohio — Crestview senior Cole Bowman capped his high school career with an 11th-place individual finish at the OHSAA Division III Boys Golf State Championship, while Hillsdale’s boys program announced its return to the state stage with a ninth-place team result in its first appearance since 1988.

Bowman shot a 1-over 73 on Tuesday at NorthStar Golf Club, the fourth-lowest round of the final day, to finish at 5-over 149 across the 36-hole tournament. A tap-in par on the 18th hole secured the position, though a quadruple-bogey on the sixth hole during Monday’s opening round ultimately cost him All-Ohio honors by a single stroke.

“We put ourselves in position, just didn’t execute some of the putts,” Bowman said. “Disappointing bogey on No. 10 but it was a good round.”

The NorthStar layout, measuring nearly 7,400 yards from the championship tees, ranks as the second-longest course in Ohio high school postseason rotation. Players walked approximately seven miles per round in unseasonable 80-degree October heat, a physical demand that forced multiple Hillsdale competitors to switch to push carts for Tuesday’s round.

“It’s the second longest course in Ohio, so you’re going to be hitting from stranger distances than we’ve seen all season,” Hillsdale coach Kyle Wissel said. “The guys definitely figured out on Day 1 that it was gonna play a little harder than they thought.”

Hillsdale posted a two-day total of 686 (344-342), surpassing its projected 10th-place seed and finishing ahead of Mogadore (700) and Independence (702) — both of which had beaten the Falcons at the district tournament. Sophomore Kolton Kochheiser led the Falcons with a 164 (78-86), followed by junior Lowen Ferguson at 169 (86-83) and sophomore Carsten McFadden at 171 (84-87).

“That gave us a little more motivation to show that we earned our spot here,” Wissel said. “We wanted to come out and say — hey, we’re better than everybody thought and hopefully we’ll be back next year.”

The program’s last state berth came 38 years ago, and community turnout reflected the significance. Players and coaches noted unusually large galleries for high school golf, with fans following groups throughout both rounds.

For Bowman, the tournament marked the culmination of a four-year partnership with Crestview coach Rick Belcher. The pair walked every hole together, discussing strategy and shot selection without a single disagreement, Bowman said. They prayed before each round, a season-long ritual that extended through district playoff holes.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better coach this season and all four years,” Bowman said. “Just having that Christian leader and someone I was able to bounce ideas off throughout the round, I don’t think we could’ve meshed better.”

Bowman outdueled presumed individual favorite Jake Schroeder of Van Buren by one stroke on Tuesday and Waterford’s Brock Hurley by two, though both held the overall edge by one and two strokes respectively. Schroeder ultimately claimed the individual state title.

The OHSAA Division III championship field comprised 12 teams and 48 individual qualifiers across two days of stroke play. NorthStar Golf Club, a private facility in Delaware County, has hosted the Division III tournament since 2021.