Ranney Caps Historic Season Atop Rankings
When the Ranney School boys’ golf team walked off the course at the Peddie School last week, having won the first-ever Prep B state championship, it marked a fitting conclusion to a groundbreaking season for the program, which ends the season ranked No. 1 in the Asbury Park Press Boys Golf Top 10.
The final title came just two days after the Panthers won their first NJSIAA Non-Public B championship, part of a spring full of firsts for the program, which also won the South Non-Public B title.
Perhaps the biggest victory of all for head coach Michael Butler’s squad came at the Shore Conference Tournament, when Ranney stunned the field at Charleston Springs, finishing at 305 for a two-shot victory over defending champion Wall, the eventual Group 2 champs. In addition to senior John Welch '24 winning the individual title, Ranney got a 76 from sophomore Sam Landers '26, who won the individual title at the Prep B Tournament, a 78 from junior Chris Hannan '25 and 80 from senior Noah Weiss '24 and an 84 from sophomore Gavin Karlin '26, who won the South Non-Public B individual title.
Ranney also captured the Shore Conference A Central division title.
Individual honors
John Welch ’24 was named to the app.com 2024 All-Shore Boys’ Golf First Team. It was the most dramatic moment of the spring golf season. Trailing by a shot and facing a third shot from just off the 18th green on the par-4 finishing hole on the South course at Charleston Springs, Welch used a putter and drained it from 30 feet to force a playoff, winning on the first extra hole. And Welch, who was fifth at Monmouth County, played No. 1 for a groundbreaking Ranney squad that won its first SCT and NJSIAA Non-Public B titles.
Sam Landers ’26 was named to the All-Shore Second Team and Chris Hannan ‘25 was named to the All-Shore Third Team. Landers won the NJISAA Prep B Golf Individual State Championship.
FINAL BOYS GOLF TOP 10
1. Ranney (18-2)
2. Wall (14-1)
3. CBA (10-0)
4. Holmdel (15-3)
5. Freehold Twp. (17-2)
6. Middletown South (12-4)
7. Southern (18-4)
8. Point Boro (5-6)
9. Rumson-Fair Haven (2-8)
10. Manasquan (9-9)
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