Covington Catholic's boys golf team opened Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) sectional play Monday, Sept. 28, at The Willows at Kenton County Golf Course in Independence.

The Colonels are chasing the program's first state championship since 1984, LINK nky first reported. They entered the par-72, 6,697-yard course with first tee times at 8 a.m. The top three teams and top 15 individuals not on qualifying teams advance to the state tournament in Bowling Green.

CovCath arrived riding its 40th regional championship, claimed Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Boone Links in Florence after a playoff against Ryle. Both teams finished regulation at 310.

Carson White settled it with a playoff birdie. He finished the day with an 83.

Junior Matt Noe earned individual medalist honors at the Region 7 Tournament with a 1-over-par 73, one stroke ahead of Ryle's Hayden Li. Senior Joe Mangine shot 78 and qualified for all-state, a distinction CovCath hadn't claimed in several years, according to third-year coach Ryan Lubbers. Sophomore Colin White, Carson's brother, carded a 79, and senior Marcus Diulio posted an 80.

A new tool has helped sharpen the Colonels' games. The program installed a donor-funded golf simulator earlier in 2026, naming it after longtime coach and faculty member Rick Hornsby, a 1970 CovCath graduate. The simulator uses high-speed cameras and radar sensors to track ball speed, spin, launch angle and direction from the moment of impact.

Players arrive as early as 6:30 a.m. on weekdays to use it.

"We love it. It's really helped us," Mangine said.

Lubbers said the simulator provides real-time feedback, particularly on iron and wedge distances, and doubles as a team-bonding space. Former head coach Alex Ammerman, who led CovCath to back-to-back regional titles in 2018 and 2019 and a sixth-place state finish in 2018, helped develop the fundraising plan alongside assistant coaches Tim Schrand and Chris Pieper.

The Willows sits about 15 minutes by bus from CovCath's campus. The sectional field includes Ryle, Region 8 champion Highlands, Newport Central Catholic, DeSales, Central Hardin, St. Xavier and Christian Academy of Louisville.

Area individual qualifiers also competing Monday include Dixie Heights' Jack Woolwine (75 at regionals), Lucas Powers (76) and Oliver Niehues (80), St. Henry's Parker Isaacs (79) and Beechwood's Kayden Sautter (79).

The girls sectional follows Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the same course. Notre Dame Academy enters as Region 7 champion after winning by four strokes with a team total of 353, the program's first regional title since 2019, NKY Tribune reported. St. Henry eighth-grader Reese Anthony was the individual medalist with a 1-over 72.

Notre Dame's scoring golfers included senior Maria Penaranda (76), junior Caroline Bohman (92), and freshmen Abigail Gibson (92) and Diana Jiradamkerng (93). The top three girls teams also advance to state in Bowling Green.