The competition was fierce, but the Olympus boys golf team more than held its own at the Class 5A state tournament, held Oct. 14, 15 at Glen Eagle Golf Course in Syracuse. 

The Titans placed fourth in the two-day tournament, shooting a 571 minus-5. They finished just two shots behind East and Woods Cross, the second-place teams. Skyline won the tournament with a minus-23.  

Olympus shot a 294 in round one on the first day of the tournament. On day two, the team improved to a 277 to move up the standings. Junior Will Pedersen, senior Sterling Peterson, senior Lincoln Peterson, sophomore Josh Neff, senior Bowman Blackham and junior Griffin Stebbing represented Olympus, each placing among the top 71 participants at the tournament. 

Pedersen was the top golfer for the Titans, tying with three other competitors for fifth place. He shot a two-day total of 138, hitting a 70 on day one and a 68 on day two for a total of 6 under par. He hit five birdies, or 1 under par, in the first round. In the second round, Pedersen hit five birdies. On the third hole in round two, Pedersen made an eagle—2 under par. On only six of his 36 holes did Pedersen shot under par. It was a performance that typified his excellent junior campaign. 

Sterling Peterson wasn’t far behind, placing 10th, tied with one other golfer. He shot a 4 under par 140, hitting a 72 on day one and a 68 on day two. He hit six birdies in the first round and five more in the second round. 

Lincoln Peterson tied for 23rd in the tournament. He shot a 76 on day one and then improved by seven shots to hit 69 the next day. After one birdie in the first round, he had four the next day. His second-round performance helped him rise in the standings. His two-day total of 145 was one shot over par. 

Blackham shared 42nd place with several other golfers. He was 7 over par, hitting a 151 (76 and 75). One of his tournament highlights was hitting a birdie on the final hole of the first round. 

Meanwhile, Stebbing tied for 51st with four other golfers. He was 8 over par, shooting a 152. He also improved by several shots from the first round to the second round. He began with a day-one total of 80 but turned around to hit a 72 the following day. He also hit a pair of birdies on the second day. 

Neff was above the cut line after day one, placing 71st in the group. The sophomore shot a 12 over 176 to contribute to his team’s success. He shot a 79 and then a 77 at the two-day tournament. 

Olympus should be highly competitive again next season. 

The Titans bring back three of their six varsity golfers in 2025. Junior varsity members and newcomers will vie for spots on the varsity squad next season. Olympus was second at the state tournament among Region 6 teams, with only East finishing above the Titans.