By Rick Cassano

There is good reason for optimism as Harrison High School’s boys golf team churns through the early part of the 2026 season.

The Wildcats have five seniors and two sophomores on their varsity roster, which is under the direction of veteran coach Trevor Ward.

This is the 21st season at the helm for Ward, who loves his senior quintet of Chase Strine, Coen Rotert, Ryan Mullins, Andrew Brunner and Ryan Seiter.

“Everybody thought I would quit coaching last year because my kids graduated, but this group of seniors, I couldn’t leave them,” Ward said. “That tells you what type of kids we’ve got in the program.

“I tell people it’s not really what you shoot, it’s how you act and behave on a golf course. That’s what people will remember, and this is an awesome group of kids. I’ve been grooming these five seniors and hopefully they can kind of groom the next generation, and I’ll decide then if I want to keep coaching.”

Harrison is playing a schedule heavy with tournaments because the Wildcats are not part of a league. Ward said being an independent isn’t really a bad thing in golf because tournament play is better in preparing players for the postseason.

“I know how difficult it is for sports like basketball and baseball,” Ward said. “But from a golf standpoint, I don’t mind not being in a league.”

HHS has had a solid run in the Division I postseason in recent years. The Wildcats have advanced a player or a team to the district level the last five seasons, getting there as a unit in 2021 and 2022.

Ward’s sons have played roles in that success. Jack Ward made it to state in 2021, while Tucker Ward represented Harrison at districts last year.

One current Wildcat has some district experience. Strine tied for 64th place in the district tournament at PipeStone Golf Club in 2024, but was a couple strokes short of a repeat district berth in 2025.

“I kind of just left a few shots in the wrong spot,” Strine said last season’s sectional at Miami Whitewater Golf Course. “It was really cool seeing my best friend Tuck make it to district. I wasn’t really down on myself. I’ve known that course for so long … I just wish I would’ve performed better.”

Trevor Ward said finishing in the top half of tournaments is always Harrison’s goal. He said the Wildcats have been pretty competitive this year, though the Morristown Invitational in Tennessee was a struggle.

“We ended up shooting what’s probably going to be our highest score (355) of the year down there,” Ward said. “It’s kind of a different type of grass down there, and it was more of a team-building trip than a let’s-go-compete trip with a lot of activities.”

Harrison took seventh place among 14 teams last Thursday in the inaugural Badin Invitational at Walden Ponds Golf Club. Strine led the way with an 8-over-par 80, followed by Mullins (82), Brunner (82) and sophomore Nolan Veite (84). Luke Leurck is the other varsity sophomore.

Ward said Rotert was particularly strong in the first couple tournaments, but he wasn’t at Walden Ponds due to a family vacation. He’s scheduled to miss several events before returning.

“I always say family first anyway. It was just another opportunity for another person to step up and play,” Ward said. “To still be able to shoot 328 without him is a decent score for us. A couple big holes here and there got us.”

Strine said shooting an 80 wasn’t part of his plan.

“I shot a 67 there three weeks prior to playing that round, so I came in thinking that course was very gettable,” Strine said. “It came down to a few missed opportunities and putting myself in a few hard spots.”

Strine conceded he’s been in a bit of a swing funk lately. He hasn’t been bad by any means. He just hasn’t played up to his own expectations.

“Chase has been with me since like the fourth grade,” Ward said. “He’s been playing in the junior program and moved his way up to the youth programs and has been playing with my kids, so he’s like one of my own.”

Strine said his style of play is mostly conservative. He said his tee game needs to be more consistent and keep him out of trouble.

“I’m not one to just pull the driver out every time,” Strine said. “I’m one to just get something out there in play and have my iron game on point and give myself a chance at par or birdie. I wouldn’t say I’m overpowering. I just hit my irons really well. Once I get off the tee, it’s like a relief and I can focus on the next shot.

“Usually through my last three seasons at Harrison, it’s been a rocky start. Once I get in my groove and find my swing, that’s when I start shooting what I usually shoot, which is in the low 70s.”

Strine’s senior season is very important to him. He wants to play college golf and major in golf management.

His father Aron is a Wildcat assistant coach and presented the game to his son at a very early age.

“I have been swinging a golf club since I was 14 months old,” Strine said. “The first time I ever got on a course, I was around 2 or 3. My dad has really just taught me the way to play golf. Ever since he introduced it to me, I fell in love with it. This sport will never leave me. I know that for a fact. Golf just means life to me. I think it’s the best sport in the world. The hardest, but the best.”

Strine played in the FCG Callaway World Championship tournament in July at Desert Willow Resort in Palm Desert, Calif. He said he didn’t play particularly well, going 18-over-par in 36 holes of competition, but felt it was a great experience.

Now that he’s back playing at Harrison, Strine said it’s a very positive thing being with his teammates.

“I would say our team is very close. We do prayer together. We do hangouts together,” said Strine, who’s coached by Ward as a bowler in the winter. “In my opinion, our team is a Top 10 team in every single tournament we play in. The quote saying the most important shot in golf is the next one is one of the best quotes ever. I try to play like that.”

Harrison placed sixth in last year’s sectional at Miami Whitewater. Ward said the Wildcats are talented and experienced enough to get some individuals and perhaps the team to district.

“And once you get to districts, anything can happen,” Ward said.

Here are the results from the Badin Invitational:

TEAM STANDINGS

Bellbrook 294

Mason 315

St. Xavier 316

Talawanda 316

Fairfield 322

Badin 325

Harrison 328

Lebanon 332

Fenwick 334

Sycamore 338

Oak Hills 340

Dayton Chaminade Julienne 341

Ross 342

Hamilton 367

INDIVIDUAL TOP 10

*Brody Seitz (Bellbrook) 72

Liam Reynolds (Bellbrook) 72

Kellen Morr (Lebanon) 73

Luke Wehner (Bellbrook) 73

Quinn Farrell (Dayton Chaminade Julienne) 74

Carson Pennington (Fairfield) 74

Jack Hellmann (Mason) 75

Ryder Jallick (Talawanda) 76

Charles Neeley (Fenwick) 76

Christian Sander (Mason) 76

*Won scorecard tiebreaker for first place

HARRISON RESULTS

Chase Strine 80, Andrew Brunner 82, Ryan Mullins 82, Nolan Veite 84, Ryan Seiter 98