Waukon boys golf team returns three letterwinners to lead overall young 2017 squad
2017 Waukon boys golf returning letterwinners ... Left to right: Logan Sullivan, Jess Kloke, Michael Headington.
2017 Waukon boys golf team ... Left to right - Front row: Micah Treptau, Logan Houg, Brady Beyer, Michael Headington. Back row: Zech Brink, Aaron Sherman, Jess Kloke, Logan Sullivan, Ryan Hanson. Coach Tharin Benson. Not pictured: Robbie Drew, Sean Liddiard, Carson Jones, Ashton Farley,
The Waukon boys golf team will field an overall young squad for its 2017 season, as just two seniors and one junior pace the upperclassman leadership for this spring’s squad. This year’s limited leadership experience also returns just one varsity veteran from each eligible grade level from last season, as senior Logan Sullivan, junior Jess Kloke and sophomore Michael Headington headline this season’s squad of 13 members as returning letterwinners from last spring.
“I will look for their leadership to help guide the underclassmen around the golf course,” Waukon boys golf coach Tharin Benson. “I will also look for them to shoot consistent scores and help the team be competitive this year.”
The two youngest grade levels make up the largest groups for this year’s squad, as five each of sophomores and freshmen will also take to the course this season.
“We’re looking for some of the younger guys to step up and be more consistent,” Coach Benson said. “Some have a year under their belt, and should feel more comfortable playing with other golfers. I also have a couple of freshmen that will contend for varsity spots, and hopefully that will motivate some of the others as well.”
In addition to returning those three varsity veterans from last season’s sixth-place Northeast Iowa Conference team and seventh-place postseason team finish, Coach Benson lists hardworking and motivated to compete among his team’s strengths for this spring, but knows that overall inexperience and inconsistent play are areas that need to be focused on for this season’s squad. The second-year head coach sees consistent scoring, eliminating big numbers on the course and putting with confidence will be keys to a successful season and improvement from season’s past.
“I want us to be more consistent, and I’d like to see us finish in the top three in the conference,” Coach Benson said of the goals that he has for this season.
Graduation took four seniors away from last season’s squad, including a couple multi-year top varsity performers. Coach Benson sees a couple of incoming freshman performers as helping fill some of those vacancies.
“We need to fill a couple spots on the varsity team,” he said. “A couple freshman have a good chance of starting on the varsity squad.”
Whatever the make-up of this season’s squad, the golf Tribe will be battling within what Coach Benson sees a fairly balanced Northeast Iowa Conference. “I don’t think there are any guaranteed favorites to win it this year, but Decorah and New Hampton will have decent squads,” he said of this season’s Northeast Iowa Conference race.
The Indians were scheduled to get their season underway with back-to-back nights of competition at home, hosting South Winneshiek Monday, April 3 and Charles City Tuesday, April 4. That April 3 season-opening date has now been postponed to Friday, April 21 due to rainy weather. The golf Tribe will face a similar scenario next week, playing at Waverly-Shell Rock Monday, April 10 before hosting MFL/MarMac Tuesday, April 11.
