By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The comeback season for the Ryle boys golf team will continue after the Raiders placed third in a state tournament qualifier Tuesday on the Willows course at the Golf Courses of Kenton County.
Ryle will be one of nine teams competing in the boys state championship tournament on Oct. 5-7 at Bowling Green Country Club. That was the Raiders’ goal after being eliminated in the region round of last year’s state playoffs.
South Oldham won the qualifier with a 15-over-par team score of 303. Louisville St. Xavier was runner-up with a 306 total and Ryle placed third at 319.
The Raiders’ team leader was senior Palmer McKelvey with a 4-over 76 followed by his younger brother, Paxton, with a 78. Ryle’s other scoring golfers were Andrew Roach (81) and Jake Roscoe (84). Tanner Lorms carded an 86 that did not count in the team’s total.
Medalist honors were shared by South Oldham teammates Caleb King and Griffen Barke, who both shot 1-under 71. The top scorer from Northern Kentucky was Newport Central Catholic senior Caleb Eaglin, who tied for sixth place with a 74.
Eaglin got off to a bad start with a double bogey on No. 10, but he finished the back nine with an even-par 36. On the front nine, he had one birdie and three bogeys to finish at 2-over.
This is the third consecutive year that Eaglin has qualified for the state tournament. Nate Surrey of Highlands lost a three-way playoff for the final qualifying spot after shooting an 80 on Tuesday.
In the qualifier team standings, Highlands placed sixth with a 343 total and Covington Catholic was seventh at 351. CovCath senior Mitchell Gastright, the medalist in last week’s Region 7 tournament, was listed as disqualified in the final individual standings.
Complete results for the state qualifier are posted on the khsaa.org website.