Golf Comes from Behind to Earn State Runner-Up Title

EAGLE! Senior Grayson Glorioso removes his ball from the cup after draining a long 35-foot putt on the par-5 #9 for eagle.
The Jesuit golf team came back from its Day 1 third-place position to inch past Alexandria for the LHSAA State Runner-Up title. The Blue Jays return from The Wetlands Golf Club in Lafayette, La. with the 2nd-place trophy after C.E. Byrd was recognized as the 2018 champions.
View the Photo Gallery from the 2018 State Golf Tournament
Day 1 Team Scores – 2018 State Championship
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Final Team Scores – 2018 State Championship
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Byrd played lights-out golf, to put it simply. The Yellow Jackets held a 12-shot lead over Alexandria after Day 1, and they extended their margin to win by a comfortable 25 shots ahead of Jesuit.
“I’m just glad we made a comeback from Day 1,” said Jesuit’s head golf coach, Owen Seiler ’75. “Byrd played the best golf we’ve seen at the state tournament since I started coaching. You’re just not going to beat that score. We were tied for third after Day 1, and we came back and took second outright.”
Junior Britton Khalaf led the way, shooting a 76 on Monday and a 73 on Tuesday to finish with individual honors. He was one of four returning starters from last year’s championship team, joined by three seniors Grayson Glorioso (73-77—150), JT Holmes (77-76—153), and Jake Kuebel (79-80—159).
The saving grace for Jesuit was sophomore Andrew Barreca, who made up six shots from his Day-1 78 and carded an even-par final round of 72. Those six shots helped the Jays finish six ahead of Alexandria in their come-from-behind effort.
Tied for fourth after shooting a first-day 73, senior Grayson Glorioso was the leader among New Orleans area golfers heading into Day 2. It was Khalaf, however, who finished as the top New Orleans golfer with a total score of 149, placing T-7th. Glorioso and Barreca, who placed T8 with a 150 two-day total, tied for the second best New Orleans golfer at state.
Coach Seiler said the leadership throughout the season and during state was second to none.
“Senior JT Holmes, Jake Kuebel, and Grayson Glorioso did a great job as team captains this year. We won the Catholic League, won the Beau Chene High School Classic, and we played great at our Easter break Myrtle Beach tournament. It’s been a solid year for us.”
It just was not Jesuit’s year to make a 17-stroke comeback. It was not any team’s year to take the title, besides Byrd’s. Even on Day 2 when the Jays posted a 2-under team total after the front nine, Byrd stayed steady with a 9-hole total of +2. The winning team also finished the tournament one stroke shy of even par, a rare team score for high school golf.
When the last putt dropped and Byrd officially clinched the title, the Jesuit team was first to walk over, shake hands, and congratulate the Yellow Jackets on their victory. It was almost as if the two teams had just finished a head-to-head Ryder Cup tournament. But this year, Alexandria certainly gave Jesuit a run for 2nd place. Every shot mattered, and Jesuit’s Top 5 was sure to play hard until the last putt dropped on #18.
Jesuit Golfer | Day 1 Total | Day 2 Total | Tournament Total |
Britton Khalaf | 76 (+4) | 73 (+1) | 149 (+5) |
Grayson Glorioso | 73 (+1) | 77 (+5) | 150 (+6) |
JT Holmes | 77 (+5) | 76 (+4) | 153 (+9) |
Jake Kuebel | 79 (+7) | 80 (+8) | 159 (+15) |
Andrew Barreca | 78 (+6) | 72 (E) | 150 (+6) |
Total – Jesuit | 304 (+16) |
298 (+10) | 602 (+26) |
View All Scores from the 2018 State Tournament (PDF)
Read More…
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Front | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Back | Total |
Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
JT Holmes |
5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | +4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | +1 | +5 |
Jake Kuebel | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5 | +4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | +3 | +7 |
Britton Khalaf | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 5 | +2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 4 | +2 | +4 |
Andrew Barreca | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 7 | +6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | E | +6 |
Grayson Glorioso | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | E | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | +1 | +1 |
Day 2 Jesuit Scores at the 2018 State Championship:
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Front | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Back | Total |
Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
JT Holmes |
4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 6 | +4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | E | +4 |
Jake Kuebel |
3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | -2 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | +10 | +8 |
Britton Khalaf |
3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | -1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | +2 | +1 |
Andrew Barreca | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | +1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | -1 | E |
Grayson Glorioso | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | E | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 | +4 | +4 |
Galleries
Golf State Tournament, The Wetlands, April 30-May 1, 2018
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Sophomore Andrew Barreca reads a putt.
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Senior JT Holmes knocks an iron shot over the marsh and onto the green.
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Sophomore Andrew Barreca tees off.
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Junior Britton Khalaf throws up a few pieces of grass to measure the wind.
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Khalaf fires at the green and...
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...holds the pose.
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Senior Jake Kuebel walks confidently to the #10 tee after shooting a 2-under 34 on the front nine.
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Kuebel hits first off the #10 tee.
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Kuebel tees off.
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Junior Britton Khalaf waits to see if his eagle putt goes in.
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Senior Grayson Glorioso chips up to the green and...
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...lands his ball right over the hole.
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Glorioso reads a birdie putt.
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Senior JT Holmes eyes down the pin on this approach.
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Senior Jake Kuebel talks with assistant coach John Weirich.
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Kuebel on the backswing
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Kuebel follows through on the downswing.
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Glorioso attacks the pin on #9.
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Glorioso walks to his eagle putt on #9, which he eventually makes from 30-feet out!
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Kuebel tees off on #18, his last hole as a Jesuit golfer.
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Kuebel watches the ball fly.
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Sophomore Andrew Barreca tees off with an iron on the par 3.
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Barreca watches his ball land firmly on the green, and he...
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...leads his group down the fairway.
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Senior JT Holmes
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Junior Britton Khalaf hits a great approach shot that lands on the green for birdie.
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On hole #18, Barreca hits a great chip shot.
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Barreca saves par on #18 to shoot an even-par 72.
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Barreca shakes hands with a playing partner.
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Holmes reads his final putt on #18.
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Senior JT Holmes knocks in his last putt as a Jesuit golfer.
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Junior Britton Khalaf waves to the crowd after making birdie on #18.
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Khalaf shakes hands with a playing partner.
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Glorioso begs for a putt to turn left.
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Glorioso shows selflessness by congratulating his Byrd playing partner on a great round.
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Blue Jays sit alongside the 18th green as golfers finish up their rounds.
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Kuebel and other players congratulate Byrd on winning state.
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The Jesuit golf parents who came out to support
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The LHSAA Awards Ceremony
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The 2018 State Runner-Up, Jesuit High School
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Jesuit's Top 5 holds the 2nd place trophy.