New Albany’s Hollenbaugh ‘has no barriers’
It’s been almost two weeks since New Albany senior Kary Hollenbaugh shot a 60 in the Lady Elk Invitational at Yankee Trace, but the impressive nature of that score hasn’t worn off yet.
At least, it hasn’t for this reporter, whose golf knowledge ranks somewhere between “has been to Topgolf” and “casually watches the Masters, mostly for the azaleas.”
But those with a lot more golf knowledge are just as impressed. Bob Sowards, director of instruction at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, put Hollenbaugh’s round in perspective.
“That’s unheard of, really, for high school golf,” Sowards said. “Especially girls. Only the special, special players have the ability to go low. Obviously, she has no barriers.
“It takes a special player to get that many under and just keep making birdies. I think she had two bogeys that round, too, so it makes it even more impressive. She’s gonna be a worldbeater.”
Hollenbaugh, who is committed to Ohio State, did have two bogeys, on holes 4 and 10. But 10 birdies, an eagle and a hole-in-one added up for her to shoot 12-under-par in what may well be the lowest-scoring round in Ohio high school golf history.
“Probably midway through that round, I knew it was gonna be a good round,” New Albany golf coach Rich Ritter said. “But even when you’re on a roll, it takes a lot to be hitting that many birdies in one round . ... She just made a lot of putts that day, hit a lot of wedges in close. She was feeling it.”
The Ohio High School Athletic Association doesn’t keep regular-season golf records, so it’s impossible to say for sure if Hollenbaugh did set a record, but as far as Sowards and Ritter are concerned, it’s as good as it gets.
“That’s best the high school round I’ve ever heard of,” Sowards said. “I know Yankee Trace isn’t the hardest golf course in the world, but shooting 60 is shooting 60. Shooting 12-under is awesome. You don’t get that low if you don’t have the ability to go low. I was shocked, to tell you the truth . ...
“It’s one thing to do it playing out there with her dad, Paul (Hollenbaugh, head golf pro at New Albany Country Club), or with her friends, but to do it in a tournament, that makes it even that much more impressive.”
Hollenbaugh’s round also helped New Albany break its team record for lowest score, both in total score and strokes under par.
“As that round was going on, the talk through the lineup was, ‘OK, we can break the record today,’ “Ritter said. “That was important to Kary and her teammates . ... It was a pretty special day, certainly for her 60, and for the team as a whole.”
Around central Ohio football Berne Union junior quarterback Nate Nemeth had 167 rushing yards on just four carries Friday night and scored three touchdowns on the ground, including an 88-yard run. Through the air, Nemeth added 113 yards and a touchdown while completing four of his five pass attempts as the Rockets beat Caldwell 55-27.
In Hilliard Davidson’s 31-7 win over Grove City, Davidson senior kicker Aiden Ighnat kicked a 51-yard field goal late in the third quarter to give the Wildcats a 24-7 lead.
Olentangy Berlin rallied from a 21point deficit to beat crosstown rival Olentangy Orange in overtime, led by quarterback Harrison Brewster‘s 172 passing yards, 57 rushing yards and four total touchdowns — three rushing and one passing touchdown to secure the win. Receiver Bennett Lawrence had six catches for 109 yards.
To open Desales’ 48-14 win over Independence, Max Shulaw took a picksix 85 yards.
West Jefferson quarterback Tyler Buescher continued his strong start to his senior season with 400 passing yards and three touchdowns in the Rough Riders’ 41-6 win over Paint Valley. Soccer
Chase Alwood has scored three goals in the past two games for Canal Winchester, with two in a 4-0 win over Pickerington Central and one in a 3-0 win over Groveport Madison. Alwood scored 32 goals as a junior at Bloom-carroll last year.
Upper Arlington senior goaltender Abby Reiszextended her streak to three clean sheets with four saves in the Golden Bears’ 2-0 win over Dublin Jerome on Thursday.
Including scrimmages, Reisz has yet to allow a goal this year.
On the Upper Arlington boys team, junior Miles Bonham scored all four of the Golden Bears’ goals in a 4-2 win over Jerome. The teams combined for five goals in the second half.
Columbus Academy senior forward Mary Kate Prall scored her first two goals of the season in a 3-0 win over Johnstown on Thursday.
Delaware Hayes senior Dylan Ashworth scored two goals and added two assists in a 6-1 win over River Valley on
Tuesday. Ashworth scored his first goal just nine seconds into the first half, which broke a school record for fastest goal scored, and he then broke his own record by scoring a goal seven seconds into the second half.
Golf
Dublin Jerome junior Audrey Ryu shot a 7-under-par 65 without a bogey at Royal American on Tuesday. She birdied six of the back nine holes, including 16-18.
Basketball
Westerville Central junior forward Donovan Hunter picked up his first Power 5 offer on Wednesday when Arizona State offered him a scholarship. Hunter holds a handful of other Division I offers heading into his junior season, including offers from Ohio, Tulane and Howard.
Baseball
Liberty Union senior pitcher Jacob Miller, a Louisville commit, was ranked at No. 13 on Baseball America’s latest high school draft rankings. Miller also participated in the Perfect Game Allamerican game last weekend at Petco Park in San Diego.
Athlete of the Week
New Albany running back Jadyn Garnes won The Dispatch’s Athlete of the Week for Aug. 16-22. Nominations are due Monday morning for the next poll.