Dewald fired an even-par 71, and UMHB posted a third-round 298 - its lowest of the tournament - as the Crusaders remained in a tie for seventh place heading into today’s final round at Chateau Elan Resort.
UMHB and La Verne (Calif.) are tied with three-day totals of 59-over 911. St. John Fisher (N.Y.) retained its lead and sits at 893, four strokes ahead of Redlands (Calif.) and seven shots clear of Methodist (N.C.), which posted the day’s low round of 291.
The Crusaders are 10 strokes behind fourth-place St. John’s (Minn.), six behind Oglethorpe (Ga.) and five back of Skidmore (N.Y.).
“We’ve gotten better every day of this tournament, and we are excited to have a chance to move up on the final day,” said UMHB coach Randy Mann, who will guide the Crusaders for the final time today before becoming the school’s associate director of athletics. “We left some shots out there today, but the guys kept competing. We know we have one more day to try and make a move.”
After a pair of 78s to open the event, Dewald fired one of only 15 rounds this week - out of 480 - of even par or better. He is tied for 27th place in the individual standings at 14 over.
Casey Wharton continues to lead all Crusaders after his 76 Thursday put him at 11 over for the tournament and in a tie for 14th place.
Eric White had a 73, Ryan Eastman turned in a 78 and Garrison Nordt recorded an 80 in the third round for UMHB.
Starting on the back nine at the 7,030-yard Chateau Course, Dewald went out in 37 before making birdies on back-to-back par 4s midway through his second nine. He bogeyed the par-3 eighth hole, then capped his round with a birdie at the par-5 ninth to get back to level par for the day.
Scott Harris Jr. of St. John Fisher is 3 under and leads the individual standings by seven shots over Illinois Wesleyan’s Chris Green.
The Chateau Course played to an average score of 77.15 in the third round, which was highlighted by an eagle at the par-4 18th by St. John Fisher’s Tom Muto Jr., and a hole in one at the par-3 eighth by La Grange’s Ryan Howard.
