There were no individual honorees at the golf team’s awards dessert Wednesday evening, May 22.
That’s because everybody who played golf for Sweet Home deserved honors, Coach Pat Davis told a crowd of parents and friends who attended the event.
“It was an interesting year,” Davis said, noting that the Huskies couldn’t even play outdoors for the first two weeks of the season, due to snow on the golf courses. That was after he decided to move the team’s home base from Mallard Creek to Pine Ridge Golf Club in Marcola, due to “circumstantial” factors that included increased fees for the players.
“The cost for the kids would have been twice what it was last year,” said Davis, who had coaching assistance from former Husky Bryce Daniels and teacher Darren Perry. “I couldn’t justify that.”
The up-and-down season ended on a high note as the girls qualified for the state championships as a team for the first time in school history.
“The ladies were rock stars,” Davis said, adding that he appreciated the attention they got from other students and staff members at the high school. “It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced.
“I don’t have the words. I’m part of history. It was cool to have experienced it.”
The good news, he said, is that if everyone returns next year, the entire team – both boys and girls – will be back.
He urged the players to get out on the course during the summer.
“Jack Nicklaus said if you play once a week, you’re OK. If you play twice a week, you get better.”
He thanked parents for their support for the team and for getting their kids to the course.
Davis noted that the Huskies have five freshmen, two of whom played varsity this year and the rest of whom show varsity potential.
First-year letters went to freshmen Alex Kisselburgh and Carsen Perry, while Bryce Hillsman, Dakota Melkvik and Joe Hiemenz all received JV certificates.
Junior Kolton Ertsgaard, who improved dramatically this season after getting a job at Mallard Creek, earned his first varsity letter.
Sophomores Brayden Keesee and Chris May played the one-two position for most of the season and received second-year letters. Davis said Keesee just missed making the state tournament as an individual after slipping a couple of strokes on Day 2 at the district competition, finishing seventh overall.
Junior Carson Smith earned his third varsity letter.
For the girls, freshman Bailey Womack and sophomore Maren Weld both earned first-year letters, while junior Lexi Schilling received her second-year letter.
Brook Womack and Rebekah Fassler earned their third-year letters.