Scott Swanson
With six golfers back from a team that barely missed a trip to the state tournament last year, finishing third in the district golf championships, first-year Coach Pat Davis says that his team has the experience to make it this time.
Those are the expectations.
“This team, from what I’ve been told by a lot of people, certainly has a chance to qualify for state,” Davis said. “The state tournament is at Eagle Crest this year. I want to be there with these guys.”
Back are seniors Michael Tolle and Stephen Bishop, who placed sixth and seventh, respectively, at last year’s district tournament. The top five individual scores qualify for state.
“I think both Michael Tolle and Stephen Bishop are golfers for life,” Davis said. “Where they’ve come from – and I worked with Michael when he was a freshman, when he was out there swinging it on the mats when he was a freshman – to where he is now, how far he’s gone in four years, he should be one of the better, if not one of the more consistent players in the league. Stephen Bishop has a lot of talent.
“They’re on the course all the time. They take full advantage of the $100 deal (for students at Mallard Creek Golf Course). I’m counting on those guys to post some good scores.”
Also back are junior Brenner Roberts, senior Bryce Daniels, junior Chris Melcher and senior Austin Yoder, all of whom have at least some experience at the varsity level.
The question will be who makes up this year’s team.
“We have four more guys kind of battling for spots and we can only take five to a tournament,” Davis said, adding that the goal for the Huskies this year is to learn to be “competitive,” and he’s handing out little rewards for those who deserve them. “We will compete every week and somebody’s going to be left out.
“Every practice putt should have meaning. No. 1 could be No. 6 one day and No. 6 could be No. 1.”
The rest of the team brings zero high school experience, but they are learning fast, he said. “The tweener guy (who doesn’t crack the varsity on a particular week), if I send him to a JV meet, he’ll be one of the better players there, though the kids tell me that some of the good teams’ JV players shoot in the low 80s.”
Senior Montana Baxter, out for golf for the first time, is already “1,000 times better than he was a week ago,” Davis said. He is joined by junior Timmy Glascow and sophomores Tyler Plebuch, Alec Rice, and Aaron Blanchard.
“The JV guys will struggle, Davis predicted. “We want them to get better because they’re starting from scratch. We want them to improve. We’re teaching them the little things, like how to pull the flag out when they’re on the green.”
No girls have come out for golf this year.
Davis isn’t sure what to expect from the rest of the Sky-Em League. Cottage Grove slipped by Sisters to win last year’s district title, while Nathan Pajutee of Sisters, now graduated, was the league individual champion. The only golfers to finish ahead of Tolle and Bishop at districts last year who are expected back this year are Junction City’s Johnny Hunts and Cottage Grove’s Mason Mueller, both seniors.
“To the best of my knowledge, Cottage Grove will be pretty good,” Davis said. “I’ve heard Sisters is struggling to get enough players. It sounds like they’re going to have players, but they may not host a tournament.”