By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
The cream always rises to the top.
Kalamazoo Christian, ranked No. 4 in Division III, lived up to its billing as it captured the regional golf championship on Friday at Hampshire Country Club.
Battle Creek Pennfield finished second, led by the tournament medalist.
Dowagiac finished third in the Division III regional tournament and joined Kalamazoo Christian and Pennfield in advancing to the state finals.
Kalamazoo Christian was the overall winner with a score of 320. Battle Creek Pennfield finished second with a score of 326, while Dowagiac was third with a score of 333.
Pennfield's Jamie Blake, an exchange student from Scotland, was the medalist as he shot a two-under-par 70. Blake shot a blistering 34 on the back nine at Hampshire.
Kalamazoo Christian's Ryan Zwier shot 75, while Coloma's James Bradshaw shot 77.
Dowagiac's David Maxey shot 78. Kalamazoo Christian's Marcus Brussee rounded out the top five finishers with an 80.
The top three teams, plus the five lowest scores move on to the state finals next weekend at Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti.
Zwier, Brussee, Maxey and Blake qualified with their teams. Only Bradshaw advanced as an individual.
Kalamazoo Hackett finished fourth with a score of 338, Coloma was fifth with a score of 348, while Edwardsburg finished sixth with a score of 352.
Rounding out the order of finish were Parchment (361), Delton-Kellogg (362), Bronson (368), Berrien Springs (374), Buchanan (375), Constantine (377), Paw Paw (385), Watervliet (389), Brandywine (391) and Hopkins (394).
Besides Maxey, Dowagiac also got a pair of 81s from Adam Maxey and Scott Wilkinson. Ken Scott shot 93 and Nick Krizinski shot 95.
Edwardsburg was led by Jesse Johnson's 85. Ryan Stoneburner shot 86 with James Hentz shooting 90. Khris Merriell shot 91 and Michael Fantetti shot 95.
Buchanan was led by Nathan Layher's 84. The Bucks also got a 94 from Matt Adams, a 95 from Jeremy Bachman, a 102 from Andrew Colip and a 107 from Scott Lolmaugh.
Brandywine was led by Justin Ely who shot 89. The Bobcats also got a 98 from Joe Sobieracski, a 101 from Cody Miller, a 103 from Chris Rose and a 111 from Billy McDonald.
Division III Golf
Tournament
At Hampshire
Country Club
Individual results
Jamie Blake, Pennfield: 36-34=70
Ryan Zwier, K-Christian: 38-37=75
James Bradshaw, Coloma: 39-38=77
David Maxey, Dowagiac: 37-41=78
Marcus Brussee, K-Christian: 38-42=80
Scott Wilkinson, Dowagiac: 39-42=81
Adam Carlson, Dowagiac: 40-41=81
Drew Virkus, K-Christian: 40-42=82
Brad Walvort, K-Christian: 41-42=83
Tim Cavanagh, Hackett: 42-41=83
Alex Yeider, Hackett: 38-46=84
Nathan Layher, Buchanan: 41-43=84
Chet Vandenberg, K-Christian: 42-42=84
Ross Osgood, Delton-Kellogg: 44-40=84
Bryan Nordquist, Parchment: 41-44=85
Paul Tansey, Hackett: 43-42=85
Jesse Johnson, Edwardsburg: 43-42=85
Trevor Eason, Pennfield: 41-44=85
Morgan Wagaman, Pennfield: 45-40=85
Ryan Stoneburner, Edwardsburg: 42-44=86
Drew Lanting, Hackett: 43-43=86
Bob Tucker, Pennfield: 39-47=86
Brett Seymoure, Paw Paw: 45-43=88
Nate Gire, Coloma: 42-46=88
Nate Farrell, Delton-Kellogg: 45-44=89
Kasey Weber, Coloma: 45-44=89
Justin Ely, Brandywine: 49-40=89
Tanner Smoker, Constantine: 47-42=89
Kirk Myers, Bronson: 48-42=90
Chase Outman, Constantine: 43-47=90
James Hentz, Edwardsburg: 47-43=90
Brian Ogrin, Hackett: 42-48=90
Kevin Lee, Berrien Springs: 44-46=90
Tyler Leonard, Parchment: 47-44=91
Khris Merrill, Edwardsburg: 42-49=91
Craig Bargaurt, Parchment: 46-45=91
Brandon Stark, Berrien Springs: 44-47=91
Kyle Williams, Bronson: 46-46=92
Josh Newhouse, Delton-Kellogg: 46-47=93
Joe Brenner, Hopkins: 43-50=93
Jimmey Balin, Watervliet: 45-48=93
Brayton Good, Bronson: 47-46=93
Matt Furney, Bronson: 52-41=93
Ken Scott, Dowagiac: 44-49=93
Mike Wilson, Berrien Springs: 44-49=93
Neil Hubers, Parchment: 48-46=94
Ryan Scienski, Coloma: 47-47=94
Matt Adams, Buchanan: 46-48=94
Michael Fantetti, Edwardsburg: 43-52=95
Nick Krizinski, Dowagiac: 49-46=95
Alex Hessler, Paw Paw: 51-44=95
Jeremy Bachman, Buchanan: 47-48=95
Derek Caldwell, Delton-Kellogg: 48-48=96
Aaron Mansmith, Constantine: 47-50=97
Joe Sobieracski, Brandywine: 47-51=98
Jason terAvet, Pennfield: 52-46=98
Erick Leach, Coloma: 52-46=98
Ben Hall, Watervliet: 49-49=98
Jared Sizer, Hopkins: 46-52=98
Stuart Sherry, Watervliet: 52-47=99
Gabriel Ramirez, Watervliet: 53-46=99
Rory McCosky, Hopkins: 50-49=99
Darryl Lynch, Paw Paw: 51-48=99
Fred Born, Berrien Springs: 47-53=100
Cody Miller, Brandywine: 51-50=101
Jake Bowman, Delton-Kellogg: 49-52=101
Adam Alexander, Constantine: 48-53=101
Joeby Wisman, Bronson: 52-50=102
Andrew Colip, Buchanan: 47-55=102
Matt Elmore, Constantine: 51-51=102
Mike Swintz, Paw Paw: 47-56=103
Chris Rose, Brandywine: 52-51=103
Andrew Steffes, Hopkins: 51-53=104
Mike Kohles, Berrien Springs: 52-52=104
Justin Miner, Parchment: 54-42=106
Jacob Spagnola, Watervliet: 52-55=107
Scott Lolmaugh, Buchanan: 54-53=107
Alex Schut, Hopkins: 50-57-107
Jon Zolp, Paw Paw: 54-55=109
Billy McDonald, Brandywine: 58-53=111