NEWBURGH, N.Y. — Kingston High senior Austin Hand fired a 4-over-par 74 to capture the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division 1 individual golf championship at The Powelton Club on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Hand bested Fred Lyson (76) and Josh Bujno (77), who both competed for Monroe-Woodbury High.

The top 29 scorers and ties out of the 52-player field advanced to the Section 9 Golf Championship next week at the Monster Golf Club at Resorts World Catskills Casino in Monticello.

Kingston’s Andre Miller finished in the top 25 with a 91 to qualify for the sectionals.

The top nine finishers in the Section 9 event, which will be held Oct. 19 and 20, will advance to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Golf Championship scheduled for June 4-7, 2027, at the Mill Creek Golf Club in Churchville, New York.

“Austin has been working towards this all year long,” Kingston High golf coach Juan Weissenberg said. “His confidence has been building and he showed it today. He had four birdies in his round and played without fear. The first step is in the books, and now it’s time to reset and do it again at The Monster. The goal all year has been states and he will be ready for the challenge.”

Miller won the OCIAA Division 1 Chuck Reynolds Sportsmanship Award.

“Like Austin, he (Miller) has been on the team four years and had built many relationships in our league with the coaches and players,” Weissenberg said. “He is composed, conscientious and a humble leader who has been instrumental in building the team’s culture.”

Recent Kingston High winners of the OCIAA Division 1 sportsmanship award have been Antonio Cecelia and Vlad Olenski.

Weissenberg said the Tigers have finished strong, winning the OCIAA Division 1 team championship, the individual championship and the sportsmanship award. He is hoping for big things next week for Hand and Miller, his two senior captains.

“You couldn’t plan a better way for these two senior captains to finish off the year,” he said. “Next is states, and I have a good feeling those two will be in the mix.”