After a sixth-place finish last year in the 3A/2A/1A state golf championships, East Linn is back with a young team that, Coach Jayce Boyd says, is full of potential.
Gone to Southwestern Oregon Community College is Blake Knurowski, who led the Eagles, who graduated five seniors.
That leaves East Linn with one returning varsity member, sophomore Grady Knurowski, who shot 75-80-155, good for sixth in the Special District 2 tournament last year, then finished 15th at state (76-76-152).
“We’re really, really young,” Boyd said. “We have one junior on the team, who’s playing a year ahead of where he’s actually at. Everybody else is either a sophomore or a freshman. We are definitely building.”
The roster includes players who didn’t get to see a lot of action last year and are back to take the lead, Boyd said. Those would be senior Randy Holmes; junior Wyatt Smothers; and sophomores Parker Caddick, Dailey Kirkpatrick, Anderson Kropf and Liam Medford.
“They have a lot of potential and they’ve all been working really hard so far this season, even in the off-season, which is really cool.
“I always love it when guys play over the summer – you get better, right?”
New to the team are sophomore Greyson Martin and freshman Lincoln Boyer.
Boyer is brand new to the game, “but he’s already made some great strides,” Boyd said, adding that Boyer played “really well” in his first tournament. .
Also new to the team is sophomore Zeke Wells, who has already demonstrated length off the tee, the coach said.
“Once he gets comfortable with more of the clubs in his bag, he can be dangerous, especially if he plays all summer.”
Others on the roster are junior Wyatt Smothers, sophomores Casey May and Steven Ream, and freshman Keegan Connaghan.
Boyd is assisted by Johnnie Watterson.
East Linn, with a senior-laden roster, was sixth last year at state with a two-day 653 team score (Bandon won with 580). Blake Knurowski tied for 10th (four-way) with a 150.
Boyd said his team might be able to get back into the big dance.
“I think we’ve got a shot,” he said. “Grady’s won both the tournaments we’ve played, with a 72 out of Tokatee from the blue tees and a 73 at Salem Golf Club from the whites. He can score.
“And we’ve got other guys that are trending in the right direction. Dailey’s put in a lot of work in the offseason and he made a huge jump from the first tournament to the second tournament.
“We’ll have a pretty good lineup once all our top five are here.”
East Linn played April 8 at Marshfield and will play there again on April 13 before moving on to Blanchet on April 27, the Blue River State Preview on May 7 and the district tournament May 11-12 at Gleneden Beach.