LEBANON – Last season, Eli Wessel’s road to the Indiana boys state golf meet was headlined by a playoff win at the regional. He edged the Westfield duo of Will Harvey and Jake Cesare.
His final score of 72 earned him a regional title and spot at state.
While Wessel earned a shiny individual accolade next to his name, the thrill of a state meet berth didn’t fully resonate. Guerin Catholic, the 2022 and 2023 state champions, did not advance as a team to the grand stage. The Golden Eagles were shunned at the highly-competitive sectional meet, while Wessel and Robbie Burt advanced as individuals.
As a leader, that setback was a hit to the soul. A bummer that Wessel is determined to make up this season.
On Saturday, Wessel made his intentions clear. He shot an impressive 3-under-par 67 and placed first individually at the Kent Frandsen Invitational at Ulen Country Club. That performance added to the Golden Eagles’ team win with a score of 287.
It was a team effort, the type of camaraderie that Wessel favors over solo success.
“Out here in high school golf, there’s an individual side, but the team side is what we work for,” Wessel said. “It was definitely disappointing to not have the team at state last year. That’s my mission this year: fight as hard as we can to get the team back at state because it’s just a lot more fun when all five guys are there instead of just one or two of you. That’s my biggest goal because I want those guys to experience it.”
The team’s absence from state contention was a tough pill to swallow. Wessel, a Cincinnati commit and one of the top prep golfers in the state, wants to help the Golden Eagles return to the promise land.
He was a member of the 2023 state championship team. At that time, he was a freshman that helped the team win its second state crown in a row. He was a rookie whose brother, Leo, clinched an individual state title that season, and who was surrounded by upperclassman that taught him the ropes.
Now, Wessel is that guy for the Golden Eagles. A fourth-year golfer and Division I recruit that has earned enough experience to take the reins as a leader. The team’s misfortune was like a gut punch.
“At last year’s sectional event, after shooting a solid 70 and qualifying individually, but finding out that his team … didn’t move onto regionals, he sat alone with his head down in disappointment and took the team loss as hard as I have ever seen him take a loss even though he made it out individually,” said Guerin Catholic coach Mark Mathews. “As a coach that tells me everything I need to know about Eli as a team leader and his passion for his teammates and our Guerin Catholic golf program.”
Wessel’s team goal aligns with what he’s trying to accomplish as an individual. He is a three-time state qualifier, but the results haven’t met his expectations. He tied for 39th as a freshman before he tied for 50th as a sophomore and 24th as a junior.
Underdelivering could break the spirit of any athlete. But Wessel has licked his wounds and plans to showcase a different beast on the green.
He felt that he played his best golf outside of high school last summer. Wessel placed top 10 in multiple AJGA tournaments, including the Circle K Junior Championship (2nd) and Justin Thomas Junior Championship (4th).
That national success reinforced his confidence, a trait that could do wonders during the postseason.
“The way I would approach state is that I just need to be a more finished product going into the state meet than I was in previous years,” Wessel said. “There were definitely some deficiencies in the game that I had. Cleaning up those along with being a little more stronger mentally, being able to fight through at an event like that is really important.”
Wessel has flashed that mental fortitude during his senior season. He secured an individual title at the Kent Frandsen invite — a day when the temperature hit the 40s. He fired a 67 through 18 holes and helped the Golden Eagles place first as a team. Cooper Howard shot a 72 and Brady Wagner followed with a 73, while Andrew Williamson and Myles Ray each recorded a 75 for Guerin Catholic.
It was a stellar performance, the type that could give the team a jolt of energy moving forward.
“I think Eli’s a great leader, great teammate, really keeps his game in shape,” Wagner said. “I think he pushes us all day, every day throughout practice just to do our very best and just try to put up a good score on Saturday’s.
“I think (his individual win) does a lot for him, considering he started off bogey, bogey (in the first two holes). He really fought really hard to get it back to get it back to how he did and finished really well. And for the team, it’s really great.”
Wessel prefers to navigate the 2026 state meet with his Guerin Catholic teammates. The same bunch that he’s dropped his knowledge to and tried to morph into state meet contenders.
He is a mentor that teaches the underclassman how to hit different shots and see the game more clearly. A guiding light through the journey of high school golf.
Wessel will join his brother, Leo, at Cincinnati to play college golf. It’s the reward of his hustle. The same winning mentality that has radiated throughout his senior campaign.
With one final chance to climb the ladder of state meet supremacy, Wessel wants to battle the state’s best, side-by-side with his squad at Guerin Catholic.
“That’s super important because this is our sectional site, so we’re really focused on playing well out here and having all the guys play well today,” Wessel said. “Seventy-five as a kicker’s score is really good. We know that we’ve got the confidence now that we can play well out here and it’s super important to have that going into a tough course and a tough sectional.”
Marc Ray is a high school sports reporter at the IndyStar. He can be reached at marc.ray@indystar.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Cincinnati commit Eli Wessel wants to lead Guerin Catholic back to state golf meet
Reporting by Marc Ray, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
