​Asher Gates had his mind right and his game right heading into the Division II boys golf state championship at Akron’s Firestone Country Club Sunday and Monday, Oct 11 and 12.”I went in thinking I’m as good as anybody here,” the River Valley sophomore said. “If I play well, I think I can compete with anybody. I didn’t quite have my A-game for this tournament, but I’m happy with how I grinded and finished up.”Gates tied for 20th out of 72 golfers on the North Course, shooting a 12-over-par 156. He put together rounds of 78 and 78 over the two days.”I feel like I had a fun experience playing the course,” he said. “It was pretty challenging and the conditions made it tough. It was really windy, but I felt like I grinded it out. I put together a couple good scores so I’m happy with how I played. I think I could have done better, but I can say that after every round.”During Sunday’s opening round, the field had to endure the remnants of Hurricane Isaias as it blew through Ohio after starting in the Gulf of Mexico and moving north through Alabama and western Florida.Gates bogeyed two of the first four holes to make the turn at 4-over 40. He then carded two bogeys to start the backside but answered with two birdies and three pars over the next five holes before finishing with two more bogeys.”It was raining for the first couple of holes and then it died down, but it got really, really, really windy, and the wind was swirling on Sunday, so it was hard to judge distances,” he said. “Even with the rain, the greens were really fast. (Monday) they got a lot faster, and it was pretty firm.”Cross country roundup: Madisyn Ruhe, Elliot Weston runners-up at Marion Harding XC InviteBest of the Week column: Marion Harding girls tennis, Pleasant volleyball claim MOAC titlesMonday was just as challenging. He started on the back nine and shot six straight 4s before scoring two double bogeys in the final three holes for a 5-over 41. On the front nine for the final stretch, Gates fired two birdies, four pars and three bogeys.”It was unlike any other tournament,” Gates said. “Everyone had certain range times that you had to go to. The first tee was a mile away from all the practice areas. I was managing my time, and I feel pretty happy with how I played. It was really a grind,The tournament was won by Archbold senior Grady Short who shot a 3-under 141. Freshman Lucas Massa of River View was runner-up with a 2-under 142, and Beaver freshman Eli Stewart was third with an even-par 144.River View won the team title by five strokes over Kettering Alter. Buckeye Valley was 10th as a team as Haloh Hefner was 38th with a 167, Greyson Keller 44th with a 169, Evan Bills 51st with a 172, Austin Rose 61st with a 180 and Jace Haunhorst 66th with a 186.Gates was the first golfer from River Valley to compete at state since Caden Orewiler and Alexis Reichardt did it in 2014. He is the first from Marion County to play at state since Pleasant’s Minoy Shah did in 2021.Gates is hopi