Sam Jean, Greenwood became the 91st Indiana Boys State Junior Champion with a 5&4 win over Luke DeHaven, Bargersville at Purdue’s Kampen GC. Jean, who finished T14 through two stroke play rounds, earning the 16 overall seed, battled a week disrupted by weather, the overall medalist, and a good friend to advance through the match play field of 64.
As severe weather delays put the Championship a day off schedule, the story became the unique Championship Match that developed. Originally scheduled for semifinal and final matches to be played on Friday, the Championship Match was pushed back to a day and time to be determined by the availability of advancing players. Jean was in a situation, where having qualified for the USGA Junior Amateur Championship, he had commitments to that Championship the following morning. DeHaven, advancing from the opposite side of the bracket as the 47 seed, had commitments as well, as he was to be Jean’s caddie for the USGA Junior Amateur.
After two stroke play and five match play rounds, the Championship had come down to great friends and Center Grove High School teammates, scheduled to travel together as player and caddie to the National Championship.
At the conclusion of both semifinal matches, the players opted to contest the Championship Match that evening, making it their third matches of the day. Jean took early control of the final match, winning three of the first four holes to take the lead. DeHaven was able to close the gap with a birdie at the par-5 sixth hole, however, his birdie at the par-4 seventh was matched by Jean and became the key point in the match. From there, Jean won the next four holes before closing out the match 5&4.
During his march to the Championship, Jean defeated number one overall seed and stroke play medalist Mitchell Davis, Valparaiso in the Round of 16. Davis fired a four-under par 140 over two days and defeated Joey Ranieri, Zionsville in a playoff for medalist honors.