Commanding lead

BOLIVAR — The Tipton Cardinals boys golf team is right where it wants to be.

The Cardinals will take a 23-stroke lead into today’s final round of the Class 1 state championship.

All five of the Tipton players battled through a breezy afternoon to post a team score of 327, a number that appears to be untouchable.

The second-place team, Greenwood, sits at 350 and Lee’s Summit Community Christian is 26 strokes off the lead at 353.

Despite Tipton’s dominance, coach Danny Dick, and several players feel they can do better today.

“Anytime you’re in the 320s, especially at the state tournament, you’ll take it every time,” Dick said. “I’m very pleased but I still think we can play better. I know what their capabilities are.”

To add to the Tipton excitement, the Cardinals’ No. 1 golfer, Trey Allison, sits in second place with a 2-over 74, just one stroke behind leader J.D. Nash, of Newburg.

The senior was solid from tee to green with his only Achilles heel coming on the par 5s.

Allison finished 3-over par on the par 5s. He posted a 37 on the front nine and a 37 on the back nine.

Allison is in the same position he was a year ago near the top of the leader board with one day to go.

This time Allison hopes to finish stronger than his tie for eighth place a year ago.

“I’m not going to blow up,” said Allison. “That’s in my mind. I hate coming out and shooting good one day and shooting bad the next. I’m going to try and shoot the same if not better then I did today.”

The long Silo Ridge and Country Club proved tricky at times for some golfers as the course measures 6,536 yards.

The front nine is fairly open, but the back nine proved a tougher task as it features many trees and hazards.

“The back nine is harder,” Allison said. “If you don’t hit the fairways you’re in trouble. Luckily, I was hitting fairways. On the back nine, the wind started picking up a little bit but it wasn’t too bad.”

All five of the Tipton golfers have a legitimate chance of cracking the top 15, which would win them all-state honors.

Junior Noah Kelley posted an 82, placing him in a tie for 11th.

Senior David Romig sits in a tie for 18th after a score of 84.

Senior Andrew Huhmann and freshman Isaac Garber are tied for 29th with scores of 87.

Consistency is a vital piece of the Cardinals’ success, and Tipton will need that consistency in day two to claim the title.

“No matter how many times you’ve been here, you’re still nervous,” said Dick. “We got one day to go. Right now there’s not one dissatisfied bone in my body.”

The Cardinals will look for their fourth state championship in six years today with a shotgun start at 8 a.m.