LAGRANGE — There was no surprise this year. The team that usually wins won again, and this time it went home knowing it was the winner.
Elyria High won its third straight Keystone Invitational at Grey Hawk Golf Club on Tuesday in the fourth year of the event.
The Pioneers shot a 319, led by tourney medalist Alex Treuel’s 74 (38-36) on the par-72 links-style course. They shot 301 in 2005 and 338 in last year’s victory.
But last year, the Pioneers didn’t even know they had won until they were long gone from the course and it was discovered a scoring error had occurred. Elyria coach Jim Kistler got word by phone.
Tuesday, he got to enjoy the trophy presentation up close and personally.
“I am very pleased,” Kistler said of the victory, then added with a laugh: “And there were no surprises.”
Brunswick finished second 332 and Lutheran West was third at 336. Two area teams, Midview and Firelands, rounded out the top five with 338 and 345, respectively.
Firelands’ Matt Gregory was the runner-up with a 75 (38-37).
Elyria was helped greatly by Kyle Lottman’s solid 78 (39-39). Tory Stewart added an 80 (40-40), Tyler Ward 87 (43-44) and Cameron Bate 88 (44-44) for the Pioneers.
“What helped us today was we played in a tournament yesterday (Monday) at Shale Creek in Medina, which is a very similar links course like this one,” Kistler said. “I was happy, too, with Lottman’s 78. He’s only a sophomore.
“It’s a good start for the season, but only the beginning. I hope we can stay consistent. We have some inexperience on the squad that needs to be groomed.”
The Pioneers’ next big test will be Aug. 23 when they host the Pioneer Invitational at Spring Valley Country Club.
Treuel, starting his senior season, has a good history at this tournament. He was fifth as a sophomore and tied for medalist last year, both times shooting 75.
He had a good summer tuning up for his final high school season, winning a tournament at Eagle Creek with a career-low 66.
“I was up and down today,” he said. “I had four bogies and two birdies which came on my last three holes. On my 18th, I landed in the bunker but hit a sand wedge to within 5 feet of the pin and got a birdie. That was my best hole.”
Treuel, who had 30 putts Tuesday and no three-putts, qualified for the district last year but failed to make state when he shot 82 at Pine Hills.
“That’s definitely my goal this year, to make it to state,” he said.
For Gregory, a sophomore, this week has already been a pleasant surprise since he had never even played in a tournamet before.
“I shot 27 holes a day all summer at Dragon Range (formerly Deer Track) but never entered any tournaments,” he said. “My first tourney was yesterday (Monday) in the Comet Invitational at Dragon Range, where I shot a 74 for third place. That was my lowest competitive round ever.
Gregory had two birdies, one at No. 10 when he sank a 16-footer. He had 30 putts, too, one a 45-footer to save par.
“That was probably the brightest moment of the day,” he said. “The only real downside was I had a double bogey on my last hole, No. 7.”
Had he parred that hole (it was a shotgun start), he would have been medalist with a 73.
TEAM SCORES: Elyria 319, Brunswick 332, Lutheran West 336, Midview 338, Firelands 345, Rocky River 347, Avon 351, Bay 356, Admiral King 361, Black River 362, Brooklyn 362, Ravenna 365, North Ridgeville 372, Columbia 376, Keystone 384, Lakewood 384, Fairview 391, Southview 448.
LOW INDIVIDUALS: Alex Treuel, Elyria, 74; Matt Gregory, Firelands, 75; Shawn Maulis, Ravenna, 76; Charles Kennedy, Bay, 76; Kyle Lottman, Elyria, 78; A.J. Weidus, Brunswick, 78.

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