Seniors At Top Two Positions Set Nc’s Golf Team Apart

Boys golf

For three of the North Side’s four Greater Spokane League high schools, success in boys golf this spring likely hangs on the shoulders of some impressive underclassmen.

Defending GSL champion Mead and Shadle Park and Rogers all have freshmen or sophomores holding down the top two spots on varsity.

The lone exception is North Central, where the top two spots are held by seniors, including Kyle Kelly, who finished second at the state tournament last season.

NC’s Kelly is star attraction

The Indians have six players with varsity match experience. They are led by Kelly, who sports a scratch handicap.

“Kyle was a good player last year, but this year he’s even better,” Coach Dave Hall noted. “He’s got a great short game, and with his experience the pressure won’t bother him.”

North Central parlayed a fourth-place finish in the GSL into a second-place finish at the regional tournament, and Hall hopes to finish in the top half of the league.

“We have a definite advantage in practicing and playing our home matches at The Creek at Qualchan. You can pretty much add 30 strokes to the other team’s score because it’s such a difficult course.”

Holding down the No. 2 spot for the Indians is senior Adam West. Behind West are junior Mark Becker, junior Mike York, who transferred to NC from Rogers, sophomore Kenny Carlson and junior Thom Powell.

Steve Jones, a senior, is first alternate.

Mead continues winning tradition

Mead has won eight of the past nine GSL titles and at one point went 111 matches in a row without being beaten. Coach Paul Peters paints a clear picture of what has made it possible.

“First of all you have to have talented players,” he said. “Beyond that we’ve had great support from Wandermere Golf Course and from the parents. Finally, you have to have a little luck and, hopefully, some good coaching.”

Although the Panthers have six players returning with varsity experience, they are a young squad with just one senior.

Freshman Royal Stumph edged sophomore Brian Fong in a qualifying match to grab the No. 1 spot. Fong finished 13th at the state tournament last season.

Rounding out the top five are junior Jason Vedadi, sophomore Josh Cicilia and junior Keith Ross.

Battling it out for the sixth spot are senior Clark Brunkow-Mather, juniors Marshall Powell and Brandon Simchuk and sophomore John Lindow.

Shadle Park boasts super sophs

Highlanders coach Randy Lothspeich has a pair of talented sophomores among six returning lettermen. Robert Sellan, who posted the sixth-lowest scoring average in the league last season and missed the state tourney by one stroke, is back in the No. 1 slot. Jared Herling is right behind Selland and, says Lothspeich, he’s improved more in one year than any player he’s ever had.

Shadle Park, which calls Downriver home, hopes to improve on its fifth-place league showing of a year ago.

Rounding out the top five varsity spots are juniors Sam Knowlton and Ben Hewbury, along with senior Jon Lundy. Seniors Bryan Bowman and Chris Magnuson are vying for the final spot.

Rogers looking for elusive win

Rogers coach Larry Williamson enters his third season with an important goal.

“We’d sure like to get our first league win in the last three years,” he stated. “It’s been a long time coming. We’ve got some good, young players, and we’re improving day by day, so hopefully it will happen for us.”

Rogers’ good, young players are a pair of freshmen - Rudy Keezer, who sports a 2 handicap, and Charlie Nap, who carries a 7 handicap.

“Rudy and Charlie are a couple of course rats who hit the ball long and putt straight,” said Williamson. “Besides winning our first match, our other goal is to get those two to the state tournament.”

Three-year letterman Emerson Caesmeyer holds down the No. 3 spot, while senior newcomer Ryan Olsen has won the fourth spot.

Juniors Kevin Oglesbee, David Green, Gabe Davis and Paul Anderson are scrambling for the final two spots.

, DataTimes