Mast, Beun earn All-Ohio honors as Hiland boys golf caps historic state run

When it came to grabbing a coveted spot on the Division III All-Ohio golf podium during the recently completed Div. III state tournament at NorthStar Country Club in Sunbury, for Hiland senior Jack Mast, the idea entering day two was to play the consistent game he exhibited on day one.

For junior teammate Andrew Beun, it was overcoming a horrible day one start to play the way he has played all season long.

Mast didn’t shoot lights out like day one’s 70, but his 78 was well within earning him first-team All-Ohio honors, finishing third as an individual, the same as his team.

Meanwhile, Beun turned his opening day 79 into a more routine 74, helping him move past eight other players to snag the eighth spot overall to earn second-team All-Ohio honors.

Beun had to immediately overcome a rough obstacle after triple-bogeying the first hole on day one. As most good golfers do, he quickly put that behind him and focused on the things he knew he could control, knowing that the triple was in the past.

“I had a couple bad holes, mainly that first hole,” Buen said of his less-than-ideal start to the tournament. “I think that hole kind of got all the nerves out of the way. You kind of just have to laugh that type of thing off and refocus your attention on what’s in front of you.”

That attention came quickly, with a birdie on the next hole.

Knowing he had to play some stellar golf on day two, Beun came through with flying colors, his 74 being the third-lowest total of day two.

“I knew I had to just make smart decisions and play with confidence,” Beun said.

Unlike Beun, Mast came out of the gate on day one on fire. While some holes on NorthStar are holes players simply need to work hard to par, there are some that players can go after the pin, and Mast took advantage, firing off four birdies on his way to a stunning medalist 70 on opening day.

While things got tougher for the senior on day two, and he wanted more, the 78 placed him squarely in first-team territory.

“I just went out and played hard, grinded my way through,” Mast said, noting that he didn’t even strike the ball particularly well during his round of 70. “I just kept telling myself to keep grinding, and the putter and chipper were really working well.”

Mast said the preparation for this moment was key to the whole team not becoming overwhelmed by the pressure, and he noted that coach Austin Kaufman did a tremendous job of making sure the Hawks were playing in plenty of big-time tournaments.

“Good competition and big-time events got us where we are here,” Mast said. “I wasn’t nervous at all; I was just ready to compete."

The senior said he was up in the air as to whether he would continue his playing career in college, but it is something he is considering.

However, leaving his high school career behind him on the biggest stage with his team beside him and standing on the podium as an All-Ohioan is an ideal place to finish off a stellar high school career.

“I’ve thought about standing on the podium a long time,” Mast said. “My goal three years ago was to win state. I tried my best to reach that goal.”

He added that playing under former greats like Brookston Hummel and Carter Mishler, also All-Ohioans who helped the Hawks earn a state title as a team three years ago, played a key role in helping this year’s crew better understand the game and what to expect in competing at that level.

He said that, as the lone senior this season, he enjoyed mentoring the younger players and teaching them how to navigate the mental part of the game.

While both players would have gladly traded in their All-Ohio plaques for a state title, the accolades are well deserved. Kaufman said both players earned every bit of their honors by working hard throughout their years in the program, whether that was during seasons or in the offseason when improvements take place that prepared them for the rigors of playing at state.

“Those two have worked as hard as anyone I’ve coached,” Kaufman said. “They’re both just real students of the game who love to get out here and compete.”

Which is exactly what they did, and it was why they reaped the rewards at the end of the state tournament.