Picture courtesy of Sacred Heart Golf- Sacred Heart freshman Jake Koksal (right) receives medal at Class 2A regional tournament.

The Sacred Heart boys golf team took the first step toward and 11th straight Class 2A state championship Monday with a convincing victory in the Cair Paravel regional tournament at Topeka’s Western Hills Golf Club.

Freshman Jake Koksal claimed medalist honors and was one of four Knights to finish in the top eight for a winning team score of 315. Cair Paravel finished second with a 338 total and St. Marys took the third and final state qualifying spot with a 370.

Koksal shot a 1-over-par 71 to tie Cair Paravel’s Caleb Cleverdon for the low round and then birdied the first playoff hole for first place. Senior Will Tuttle tied for fourth place with a 78, junior Dominic Matteucci was seventh with an 82 and senior Ben Marrs eighth with an 84 to round out Sacred Heart’s scoring.

The Knights also got a 90 from junior Ethan Newell and a 102 from senior Cody Burr.

It was the 11th straight regional title for Sacred Heart, which next will put its 10-year state winning streak on the line next Tuesday and Wednesday at Quail Ridge Golf Course in Winfield.

While Sacred Heart was the lone Saline County team to qualify for state, several individuals advanced in Class 5A and 3A.

In the Hays 5A regional at Smoky Hill Country Club, Salina Central’s Grant Ostmeyer finished ninth with an 11-over 82 and Thomas Payne 10th with an 83 to post the top two individual scores not on a team qualifier. They will represent the Mustangs next week in the state tournament at Tallgrass Golf Club in Wichita, while Ledger Michel tied for 15th as Salina South’s lone qualifier with an 85.

Southeast of Saline served as host for a Class 3A regional at Salina Municipal Golf Course and had one state qualifier. Senior Adam Thiel was the top individual not on a team qualifier, finishing eighth with a round of 9-over 79, and will represent the Trojans next week at Lake Shawnee Golf Course in Topeka.