For senior Colton Vincelette, golf has always been second nature. His dad, a retired professional, put a club in his hands as soon as possible, hoping for his son to love the game as he did. 17 years later, Vincelette’s passion for the game has paid off, as he and three other seniors will lead the team into their first State Championship appearance since 1992.

“I was way too nervous watching the last 3 guys come in because we knew it would be a close call but we didn’t know how close it would be,” Vincelette said on his feelings during Districts. “When I did the math and figured that we made it. I wasn’t really that excited—it didn’t really feel real. Then it really set in and I was tweaking out with the team. We were all going crazy in the van and joking with each other. It was definitely the best memory of the season.”

During the District tournament, Vincelette shot 79, and fellow senior Vince Grosso shot 83. Youngsters Solomon Petrie and Josh Wright both shot lows of 75, while junior Aaron Aptikar shot 76. Together, the team placed second with an overall score of 305, falling just three points behind Jackson, and clinching their spot at states.

“When I figured out we were going to states, I was so happy to be a part of the team and excited to represent Hoban,” Grosso said. “My coach was very proud of us and was very happy and told us how all our hard work paid off but we still have one more to go.”

The five young men are set to tee off at 9:50 a.m. on Friday the 19th at The Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course, facing tough opponents in Jackson, Walsh and St. Ignatius.

“We are very happy to go to states but it’s not just for fun,” Vincelette said. “We have a chance to win so we’re going in with our heads down ready to win. It will be a very hard test but we know we can do it.”

For the first time since 1992, Hoban will be represented at states by five determined and talented young men. With a club in one hand and hope in the other, they plan on bringing home a fifth states trophy in the past four years—another testament to Hoban’s athleticism. Under senior leadership and guidance from Coach Quinn, the team aims to become Hoban’s first state champions of 2018 and permeate their legacy as a strong golf program.