SYRACUSE — The Wawasee athletic department held its biggest fundraiser of the year, the 24th annual Warrior Open, at Maxwelton Golf Club Monday afternoon. A total of 24 teams and 95 golfers turned out to show their support for Wawasee athletics, helping take a big divot out of the department’s expenses in the coming school year.

“This is the 24th year we’ve been doing this. It really helps out the department financially; it’ll usually bring $10,000 to the department between green fees and sponsorships from businesses on tees and greens and lunch sponsors,” said Wawasee Athletic Director Cory Schutz. “It’s a real nice benefit to help out with uniforms and equipment and paying for officials and all those other things that we have to do throughout the year.”

The foursome of Brent Doty, Scott Beasley, Ryan Keena and Michael Parker went 16 under to win the team championship, beating out Nate Scherer, Tony Huth, Quyen Tran and Scott Melbrod by a single stroke. Jeff Herron won the men’s longest drive contest on 16, and Lady Warriors golfer Belle Brunner won the women’s longest drive competition on 14, while Mason Germonprez won the second shot closest to pin contest on 9, Clay Brooks claimed the prize for the longest putt on 18, and Randy Woodcock won the putting contest on the putting green at Maxwelton, along with numerous other door prizes and raffle prizes handed out at the tournament.

Student-athletes turned out to carry bags and generally show their support, and several coaches sat at the three holes with hole-in-one contests sponsored by McCormick Motors, Northern Lakes Insurance and Main Channel Marina to verify any aces, but none was made.

“We’d love to have more golfers,” said Schutz of next year’s Warrior Open. “I’d love to run two flights because it makes it more worthwhile for the course also. They’re closing down for the better part of the day now. Really if you wanted to golf this morning, not part of this, you had to be on the course by 9 o’clock in order to be off by the time we were ready to go. The course is making a real big sacrifice for us. They’re trying to run a business, but they’re helping us out also by doing this, so that’s very much appreciated. If we can get the numbers back up next year, that’d be great. I’d love to run two flights and have fun with it. It makes for a long day, but it’s fun.”