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Harrison's Bradley wins Playoff, Westfield Edges Center Grove for Team Title

Posted: June 17, 2015

Harrison's (West Lafayette) Cole Bradley and the Westfield Shamrocks were hailed as the newest IHSAA state champions at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel on Wednesday.

Bradley emerged the victor in a two-man playoff with Columbia City junior Spencer Klimek after two holes. Bradley parred No. 2 while Klimek settled for a bogey in the 10th playoff in state finals history and first since 2008. Both players had tied at 143 after 36 holes forcing the playoff.

The Harrison sophmore became the first state medalist in his school's history after starting the day tied for fifth place with a first round 71 on Tuesday. He finished the final round with a 72 but it was enough as Klimek fell back to the pack.

Klimek began the day with the lead after posting a first round 68 which included and eagle on the fifth hole and three birdies. He slipped on Wednesday finishing with 75 with two bogeys and a doube-bogey for a two round total of 143.

A six-way tie for third place followed the playoff pair including Center Grove's Austin Crowder, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger's Callahan Elzey, Westfield's Timmy Hildebrand and Thomas Lewis, Lebanon's Zach Schroeder and Muncie Central's Zach Bronnenberg. Each finished one stroke back at 144.

In the team competition, third-ranked Westfield (584) held off top-ranked Center Grove (588) by four strokes for its second state championship in three seasons. The Shamrocks and coach Jon Hoover also finished as the runner-up last year.

Zionsville (603) placed third behind the two front-runners while Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger and Hamilton Southeastern (605) tied for fourth in the team competition.

Also of note, Castle sophomore Austin Bratton used a 4-iron to score a hole-in-one on the par-3, 180 yard, 15th hole today. It was the fifth hole-in-one in boys state finals history and first since 2004.

Tuesday's opening round was played under most sunny skies with highs in the mid-80s. Wednesday's final round was played under scattered showers, some wind and temperatures in the high 70s.

It was the first time the boys state meet had been played at Prairie View after the girls event was played here last fall.

Westfield's Timmy Hildebrand named Mental Attitude Award winner
At the conclusion of the state finals, Timmy Hildebrand of Westfield High School was selected as the winner of the Fred A. Keesling Mental Attitude Award by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee.

Hildebrand maintained a 4.3 GPA during his four years of high school and was named a Distinguished Scholar. He was a member of the National Honor Society, the French Honor Society, was named an Outstanding English Student as a senior and also was very active with his church and its youth activities.

Athletically, he played for Westfield in all four state finals, finishing tied for third overall today and was a member of two state championship teams (2013, 2015) and last year's runner-up team (2014). He also played basketball for the Shamrocks as a freshman and sophomore.

He is the son of Michael and Kathleen Hildebrand and plans to study Chemical Engineering at Purdue University and play golf for the Boilermakers.

The Committee presented $1,000 to Westfield High School's general scholarship fund in the name of Hildebrand.

The Committee presents the Fred A. Keesling Award to the outstanding senior participant during the state finals each year dating back to 1971. The recipient of the award, nominated by his principal and coach, was determined to have best demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in boys golf. The award is named after the former long-time state tournament director.

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