Warsaw’s Michael Jensen hits a tee shot Thursday. Jensen shot 40 as the Tigers topped Concord and Goshen in NLC action in Elkhart.

ELKHART – Warsaw boys golf coach Ben Barkey is a confident man.

He does admit though that he gets anxious when his team competes in a 9-hole Northern Lakes Conference match.

His deep and talented team made sure to sooth his anxiety again on Thursday evening.

Senior Ryan Cultice led the way as Warsaw defeated host Concord and Goshen in an NLC triangular at the Bent Oak Golf Club.

Cultice, one of four seniors in the varsity lineup Thursday, shot an even par 36 on the front nine for the Tigers. Warsaw finished with a team score of 155, while Goshen came in at 173 and Concord 180.

Warsaw took another step towards the conference crown on a cloudy and windy evening. The Tigers are now 4-0 in league play with an NLC  home match versus Northridge and NorthWood next Tuesday at Stonehenge and then the conference finale at Wawasee next Thursday at South Shore. The NLC Meet is then set for May 23 in Middlebury.

“We look at the NLC and everyone for us is extremely happy to be 4-0 right now,” said Barkey, whose team beat NLC foes Plymouth and Elkhart Memorial on Wednesday night in Plymouth. “When we play an NLC match on the road, we know we need to be sharp and not take the hard work that we have put in for granted.

“Anything can happen when you play on someone else’s course. You have to respect your opponent and the course. I love the NLC season, but it also gives me anxiety too. The NLC championship is so coveted. It’s harder to win the NLC than the sectional.

“We played fair tonight. The thing is that we got the win on an away course. Our guys have worked extremely hard. Our outlook is as positive as it is because of how hard these guys have worked. The special thing about this group is that everything they do is for each other and for our team. We need to still get better and tighten up our short game.”

Cultice, slotted at the No. 5 spot in the lineup Thursday, delivered in a big way. He had just one bogey on the front nine at Bent Oak and offset that with a birdie.

Jonny Hollar watches his putt for the Tigers.

Senior Jonny Hollar, the most experienced player in Barkey’s lineup, shot a 38 from the No. 1 spot Thursday. Sophomore Michael Jensen had a 40, senior Brandon Eckert a 41 and senior Reid Cameron a 42.

Eckert is one of four players back from last year’s team that was second at the sectional, but finished a disappointing ninth at the Warsaw Regional at Stonehenge.

“We’ve set our goals high this season,” said Eckert, who was medalist in Wednesday night’s two NLC wins with a 36. “We want to win the NLC and the sectional and advance to State. That’s very important to us.

“We’re getting there, but we need to get better in the next couple of weeks. We have to gel as a team before the sectional and have four solid scores. As seniors, out big motivation this year is State. It lit a fire in us after the regional last year. We got motivated and put in a lot of work.”

Joel Moyer led Goshen with a 41. Matt Truex shot 42, while Michael Chupp had a 43 and Brooks Chupp and Peyton Cripe each had a 47 for the Redskins, who are now 7-5 overall and 2-2 in the NLC.

Peyton Kime was low man for host Concord with a 39. Cole Wilkerson shot 41, Jacob Clark 48, Hunter Sites 52 and Jake Dimos 68 for the Minutemen, who are now 5-8 overall and 0-3 in the NLC.

The Warsaw junior varsity also went to 4-0 in the NLC by shooting 167 Thursday for two wins. Sam Yeager led the way with a 39. Luke Johnson shot a 41, Tim Rata 43, Luke Delp and Tommy Meier each a 44, Jacob LaLonde 46, Trenton Rapp 50 and Andrew Gauger 62.

Warsaw will play in the Culver Academies Invitational Saturday at Mystic Hills.

Warsaw boys golf coach Ben Barkey strikes a pose Thursday.