The 2016 West Union Dragons varsity golf team had the experience of a lifetime last weekend, playing a 36-hole tournament on the famed Canterbury Course in Cleveland.  Here, the team is pictured at the course, from left, Jacob Pell, Elijah McCarty, Craig Horton, Eli Fuller, Tyler Fowler and Coach Carl Schneider.
The 2016 West Union Dragons varsity golf team had the experience of a lifetime last weekend, playing a 36-hole tournament on the famed Canterbury Course in Cleveland. Here, the team is pictured at the course, from left, Jacob Pell, Elijah McCarty, Craig Horton, Eli Fuller, Tyler Fowler and Coach Carl Schneider.


Dragons Travel north for tourney on famous Canterbury Course –

By Mark Carpenter –

The high school years are supposed to be one to remember and for the members of the West Union Dragons boys golf team, last weekend was a high school experience that none of them will soon forget.
The West Union boys had a golfer’s dream come last weekend as they had the opportunity to play a golf tournament at the famed and historic Canterbury Golf Club in Cleveland, Ohio. West Union was the only Division lll team in the state to receive this invitation to play in the Kiely Cup. The Kiely Cup, named after long-time caddie-master Mike Kiely, features 15 of the top teams in the state as decided upon by the committee for the tournament.
The field included several schools that have won state championships, and two former individual state champs. There were 12 Division l teams, 2 Division ll teams, and West Union.
“It was a fantastic experience to play against the best teams in the state and to be recognized as one of the top teams,” said West Union head golf coach Carl Schneider.
For the past 11 years the membership at Canterbury Golf Club has conducted the Kiely Cup and you would be hard-pressed to find a finer high school event anywhere in Ohio, and probably beyond. The 12th edition, contested over 36 holes — rare for a regular season high school event — was played Sunday and Monday at Canterbury Golf Club, generally acclaimed as one of the finest clubs in the country. This storied course has played host to 18 major championship tournaments including several U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, Amateur Championships and next month will be the site of the Web.com Tour’s DAP Championship. The greatest names in golf have walked the fairways of Canterbury and have been the champions including; Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, and Ben Hogan.
According to Coach Schneider, the golf course played extremely hard, as the course was  getting ready for the DAP Championship next week, with 4 1/2 inch rough, firm and fast greens, and tightly cut fairways, but  the course and famed clubhouse met all the expectations of the West Union team and the parents and fans that traveled to the tournament.
After the first day of play, the golfers were treated to a buffet dinner and several guest speakers. After the second round the Golf Club treated the golfers to a cookout and awards ceremony, with each golfer receiving a leather scorecard holder with the Kiely Cup and Canterbury Golf Club embroidered on the cover.
Coach Schneider added, “This was the best high school tournament that the golf team at West Union has ever been a participant in, including the State Championship”.
On the way to Cleveland, the boys and girls teams stopped and played a practice round at North Star Golf Course, the site of this year’s State Finals. The West Union Girls Team and Boys JV Team played at Manakiki Golf Course in Cleveland on Monday while the Kiely Cup was being played. Even though the team did not have a great finish, the experience playing at that level should help the golfers prepare for another run to the State Tournament in October.
For more information on the 2016 Kiely Cup Tournament, go to www.kielycup.com.

West Union Individual Scores (36 holes)
Craig Horton (83-79)
Elijah McCarty (80-84)
Jacob Pell (89-84)
Eli Fuller (90-97)
Tyler Fowler (95-97)

Team Scores (36 holes)
St. Xavier (306-302) 608
Olentangy Liberty (312-304) 616
Boardman (304-313) 617
Centerville (305-317) 622
Jackson (310-313) 623
Archbishop McNicholas (313-311) 624
Hudson (319-310) 629
Notre Dame Cathedral Latin (320-309) 629
University School (320-310) 630
Green (Akron) (326-315) 641
Walsh Jesuit (322-322) 644
Chagrin Falls (330-337) 667
St. Edward (332-336) 668
St. Ignatius (344-328) 672
West Union (343-344) 687
(Thank you to West Union golf coach Carl Schneider for his assistance with this story.)