Scott Swanson
Sweet Home’s golfers enter the 2022 season with more experience than last year’s team, which played only a six-week schedule.
“We have four seniors returning this year,” Coach Ron Moore said.
Nine boys have turned out thus far, and three girls, which is one short of a scoring team.
Veterans Joseph Hiemenz, Dakota Melkvik, Carsen Perry and Morgan Sands are back after a third-place boys finish in last year’s six-team district tournament. Perry and Hiemenz both qualified for state as individuals, Perry carding a season-low 94 and Hiemenz a 101.
“I think we will do better this year than last year,” Moore said. “In a couple of matches last year we were only six or eight strokes out from finishing in the top three. And for a lot of these kids it’s putting, and we have been putting in a lot of work on our short game.
Also back are sophomores Chet Garrett and Joseph Silvers, both of whom served varsity stints last year, and, according to Moore, have put in extra time before the start of this season.
Joining the team are senior Ryan Tyndall, trying high school golf for the first time, and freshmen Easten Perry and Dominick Freeman.
On the girls side, senior Bailey Womack returns for her fourth year, joined by newcomers Quinn Clark and Kaydence Egner.
“I told (Egner) to come out and kind-of check out practice, and she really liked it,” Moore said. “So she’s on board. I think she’s going to come along really quick, too. She likes the game.”
Clark, a senior, is also out for the first time and Moore said he’s bringing the recruits along slowly, giving them a chance to learn without a lot of pressure.
Mike Wilkerson, one of Sweet Home’s top past players and a former golf pro, is assisting Moore again this year.
“He’s helping me out with both teams,” Moore said. “He’s really good with the kids. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. If the kids would listen to him, they’d really get a lot out of it.”
The Huskies’ top players will open the season Thursday and Friday, March 17 and 18, at the Bandon Invitational. The Huskies are scheduled to host their own invitational Friday, April 8, at Mallard Creek.
Marist returns one of the state’s top squads, and Woodburn, last year’s district champion, looks to be strong again. Moore thinks his boys can compete with Cascade, which was second last year, and Marshfield.
“That gives us an opportunity to maybe make a state run as a team, but we have a lot of work to do,” Moore said.