Big 8 Golf: Union City continues to search for first Big 8 conference crown

PARMA – The race for the Big 8 conference golf championship was wide open entering the 2024 season, as the defending champions from Quincy had the difficult task of replacing all but one starter from last year’s squad.

So far in 2024 it is Union City who has proved to be the top team, winning the first two jamborees of the year to take the early lead. Springport finished with runner-up honors in both jamborees while Quincy has finished third.

On Wednesday, the Chargers saw their small win streak come to an end as Springport took the victory at the Burr Oak Golf Course in Parma with a score of 182. Union City finished in second place with a score of 185, followed by Quincy in third with 187. Bronson finished fourth with a 232, followed by Maple Valley in fifth with a 253. Neither Reading nor Concord are fielding a full team for the 2024 season.

As the race for the conference crown heats up, Union City continues to sit atop the league standings as the program looks to secure their first golf conference championship in Big 8 history.

The Big 8 conference as we know it began in the 1972-73 school year, as the then Little “C” conference expanded from the remaining five Little “C” teams in Homer, Jonesville, Quincy, Athens and Union City to the Big 8 conference, bringing in Reading, Concord and Springport.

Since the change to the Big 8 conference in 1972-73, the sport of golf has been dominated by the Concord Yellow Jackets who have won a total of 25 conference titles in the 52-year span. Quincy sits in second place with 15 conference titles, including a run of seven consecutive from 2004-2010. Jonesville sits in third place with nine total crowns, followed by Homer with two titles and Springport with one. (Note: There was no conference champion in 2019-20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the conference title was shared four times during the 52-year span).

Union City’s efforts to finally bring home that elusive Big 8 title are being led by senior Landyn Crance who brought home medalist honors from Wednesday’s event, winning with a low score of 39.

Rounding out the Chargers' effort was Logan Mears in sixth place with a 46; Carter Krummrey in tenth place with a 49; and Blayne Crance in thirteenth place with a 51. Also playing well for Union City was the duo of Jeremy Zehr and Max Bigelow who tied for sixteenth place with a score of 56.

Quincy’s third place effort was paced by sophomore Braylon Estlow who finished in third place overall with a round of 43. Also helping in the Quincy effort was Brydan Wible who made his varsity debut, finishing in seventh place with a 47; Grant Carter in ninth place with a 48; and Keegan Neely in 10th place with a 49. Rounding out the Quincy day was Caleb Bostic in 15th place with a 55 and Isabelle Neely in 19th place with a 56.

Bronson’s fourth place effort was led by senior Carson Norton who finished 12th after carding a 50, followed by Clayton Shortridge in 20th with a 58.

More: Baseball: Quincy walk-off win leads to split, Union City splits with Concord

Springport’s winning effort was paced by freshman Brody Baum in second place with a 41, followed by Max Argumedo in third place with a 43 and Braydon Hawes in fifth place with a 44.

The Big 8 conference will continue its race to find a champion next Thursday when the teams travel to Bronson for the fourth Big 8 Jamboree of the year.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Big 8 Golf: Union City continues battle for elusive conference title