For the third consecutive year, the Westfield High School boys golf team flirted with a state title before coming up just short.

The Shamrocks finished with a 605 total, five strokes more than champion Zionsville June 12 at the IHSAA state finals at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. Westfield had finished second the previous two years to Guerin Catholic.

“We talk every year about the goal is to be in the last group and have a chance on the back nine,” Shamrocks coach Josh Bryant said. “I think we were ahead by two (strokes) going in the back nine, which tells you that you’re in the tournament. Everyone has their hiccup, and we had our hiccup on (holes) 10 and 12. They hung in there and fought.”

Bryant said knowing they needed to make up a couple of strokes, they took a couple of risks on No. 18.

“(But) Zionsville played awesome,” Bryant said. “We played well, but we just got beat.”

Westfield junior Jake Cesare, who has committed to play golf at Indiana University, was tied for second with 71-72 for a two-day 1-under par total of 143.

“We battled, but unfortunately came up short again, but we’ll be back next year,’ Cesare said. “I had a few shots I didn’t hit well, but I recovered and made the putt. I just kept scrambling.”

Westfield junior Matt Harvey, a Purdue University commit, shot a 77 in the first round, but came back with a 74 in the second round to finish in a tie for 15th. Ryan Cesare shot 79-76 for 155 total, followed by Hudson Kutchma with an 81-75 for 156. Both are sophomores. Freshman Brayden Worthington was fifth on the team with a 167 total.

“We had the youngest team with a freshman, two sophomores and two juniors and we got some other guys in our program that are right there,” Bryant said. “We’re in a really good position to hopefully be in the last group next year.”

Westfield captured back-to-back state titles in 2015 and 2016. Bryant said the younger Westfield golfers have followed the success of the program.

“The amount of tournaments the kids play and what they do in the offseason, it’s kind of a snowball effect,” Bryant said. “We’re really proud of it and hope to keep that going.”