Commissioners honor state golfers with proclamation

The thrill of playing the state golf tournament came earlier in the month of October when the Hiland boys golf team of Jack Mast, Camden Bille, Monte Coblentz, Andrew Beun and Grant Bille and West Holmes senior individual Trey Baker battled their way to a berth at the state golf tournament.

The accolades continue to roll in long after the final putt was struck, and on Monday, Oct. 30, the Holmes County commissioners honored the golfers with proclamations for their achievement of reaching the state level.

Hiland OHSAA Hall of Fame golf coach Austin Kaufman was on hand at the meeting of the Holmes County commissioners, joined by four of his five players, to accept the proclamations. Absent from the moment were Mast and Baker.

“I’m super proud of these guys, and any time you have a couple freshman, a sophomore, a junior and a senior get to that level in any sport is pretty impressive,” Kaufman said following the reading of the proclamations. “I saw them improve from midseason on, and I’m proud of their hard work over the summer and winter and the effort they put into this season making it to state. It was definitely a challenge.”

Kaufman singled out each player’s best accomplishments and praised them for their commitment to the team and one another.

“It’s an impressive group of guys,” Kaufman said.

Commissioner Joe Miller, a longtime golfer, congratulated the players and said, “The game is the greatest game in the world, but you think you’ve got it one day and the next day it reduces you to nothing,” Miller said.

Commissioner Dave Hall also passed along his congratulations and said this adds to an ever-growing list of fantastic accomplishments from the county’s young adults playing at the high school level.

“Congratulations on the effort,” Hall said to the Hiland golfers. “It doesn’t happen overnight. I think you can learn a lot about life from this game, and you’ve succeeded in the first steps of life.”

Coblentz, the team’s lone senior, enjoyed playing his final official high school round at the highest level, and he said it was a great way to wrap up his career.

“I’m proud of this team for working hard, for getting to state and just making it there,” Coblentz said.

Commissioner Ray Eyler said this game is something all of the players can take with them into their adult lives.