Loveland, Ohio - Loveland High School’s Boys’ Golf team captured their first ECC Championship title since 2020 at the Mason Golf Center on September 19th. Led by a talented group of seniors, the Tigers shot an 18-over 302, outplaying rival Kings by a mere three strokes to capture the throne. It was a clean ECC sweep for Loveland this fall, as the ECC Preseason and Postseason crowns bookended a perfect 7-0 record in conference duel matchups.
Anthony Moran (12), a four-year varsity golfer and three-time All-ECC First Team honoree, led the Tigers with a +1 72 at the conference championship, good for second place overall. Moran averaged 38.3 strokes per nine holes in official contests this fall, which ranked him eighth place in the conference and will almost certainly earn him an unprecedented fourth consecutive first-team honor. In an interview with The Loveland Roar, Moran outlined his experience this fall, saying, “This season came with a lot of pressure and expectations for me and the team. It was also definitely a lot different, as I was also playing varsity soccer at the same time. It was very busy and very fun.”
Moran also commented on the culture of the program throughout the successful season, proclaiming, “The atmosphere was very competitive this year. We had a lot of guys grinding it out to compete for spots, which helped everyone on the team.”
One of those golfers competing for a spot was first-year varsity athlete Chase Gibson (12). In limited action throughout the campaign, Gibson still managed to finish in the top 20 of the loaded ECC with an average of 40.7 strokes. When asked about his experience on the varsity squad, Gibson commented, “It’s meant everything to me. Last year, being out for the season with a broken finger, I didn’t feel like I was contributing as a member of the team. I felt like I was just there, so this year to actually be playing golf is fantastic. I’m incredibly grateful to play alongside my fellow seniors.”
Although Loveland had a perfect 8-0 regular season record and placed eight golfers in the top 20 of the league, the Tigers don’t plan to stop hitting the links anytime soon. With the OHSAA playoffs right around the corner, the expectations couldn’t be any higher for this group of golfers.
Gibson believes his team has what it takes to make a deep run in the playoffs, saying, “Last year, we didn’t make it past sectionals, despite all of the talent we had. We believe this year we have the talent to overcome that disappointment and make it to districts and possibly state. Last year stings, but we have a shot at a run this year.”
Moran agreed with his teammate, stating, “I’m confident we can make it through sectionals, and have a good shot at being a top three team at districts.”
No matter what transpires for the Tigers in the coming weeks, it has been a memorable season for all involved with the Boys’ Golf program. Be sure to congratulate the golfers on their perfect record, and wish them luck as they aim for a state championship.