Jackson Frelich's career-low 69 helps Brighton secure KLAA golf championship
BRIGHTON — As Jackson Frelich was coming off the golf course and heading toward the Brighton contingent, coach James Dewling quickly devised a plan.
Frelich would get the silent treatment.
It’s apparently Brighton golf’s take on a baseball tradition in which a rookie is ignored in the dugout after hitting his first career home run. In this case, it was for a golfer who broke 70 for the first time.
When Frelich reached the group, plans were being made for lunch. Everyone had a suggestion, and it was obvious a consensus couldn’t be reached.
“Chipotle,” Frelich suggested.
Crickets.
Nobody looked his way as other restaurants were proposed.
Senior Levi Pennala hadn’t gotten the memo, because he ran in and jumped on Frelich’s back to congratulate his junior teammate.
Well, it was fun while it lasted.
Frelich earned both the silent treatment and Pennala’s jump on his back by shooting 2-under-par 69 Thursday in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association’s postseason tournament at Kensington Metropark Golf Course.
His score was second out of 86 golfers in the last of two KLAA tournaments, one shot by Novi sophomore Colin Riehl. It’s the lowest score by a Brighton golfer in a KLAA tournament, eclipsing a 70 by Davis Codd in 2021, the season in which he won the state Division 1 championship.
Frelich played in two varsity tournaments last year, shooting 72 at Huron Meadows Metropark, but it was difficult to crack a five-man postseason lineup that finished third in the state. He played in Brighton’s fifth slot Thursday and probably secured a spot in regionals next Wednesday when only five players per team can take the course instead of six.
He knew there was an opportunity to make the varsity this year following the graduation of Winston Lerch, Andrew Daily and Matt Doyle.
“A lot of it was just more working hard over the offseason, staying consistent in the gym, always putting time into our practice,” Frelich said. “Having that deliberate practice is key to sliding into your spot.
“With our last three seniors graduating, it’s been an honor to be able to continue this program with the awesome players we have on this team just to back up their game. I know we have a lot of great players behind us and we have a bright future ahead of us.”
The emergence of players like Frelich, junior Jacob Daavettila, sophomore Adam Forcier and sophomore Mitchell Stoll has kept Brighton among the best teams in the state. Seniors Pennala and Riley Morton were the only players back from the state lineup.
Brighton won the KLAA championship by shooting 588 for the two league tournaments, finishing nine strokes ahead of Howell.
Frelich and Daavettila tied for third with two-round scores of 147. Forcier tied for seventh with a 149, while Pennala and Morton tied for 11th with 153s.
“We kind of had a theme this year of ‘They won’t see us coming,’” Dewling said. “We worked hard in the weight room and in our offseason. It’s just golf sometimes to some people, but it means a lot to these guys.”
Howell had the low round Thursday, shooting 293 to finish three shots better than Brighton. It was the Highlanders’ lowest score since at least 2004, the last year they qualified for the state tournament.
“This team is by far the deepest team I’ve had,” Howell coach Jeff Hughey said. “I have about six, seven guys who on any given day can shoot par or in the 70s. During the course of the year, we’ve had three guys who won actual tournaments all shooting under par. In years past, I might have had one guy win a tournament every once in a while.”
Howell junior Rory Sturos finished second overall for the two tournaments with rounds of 72 and 72. He was five shots behind Riehl for league medalist. Derek Kantola was third Thursday with a 71 to finish 10th overall with a 150. Jacob Dault and Luke Downing had 75s Thursday.
“I made a lot of pars and kept bogeys off my card,” Sturos said. “It’s one of my favorite courses. I played it a lot growing up. I know it really well, so I can score well here.”
Hartland finished fourth with a 605. Michael Maurin tied for fifth with a 148 and Keller King tied for seventh with a 149 to lead the Eagles.
KLAA postseason golf tournament
Team scoring: 1. Howell 293; 2. Brighton 296; 3. Novi 299; 4. Northville 301; 5. Hartland 309; 6. Canton 325; 7. Salem 325; 8. Livonia Stevenson 326; 9. Dearborn 332; 10. Livonia Churchill 338; 11. Plymouth 341; 12. Livonia Franklin 343; 13. Westland John Glenn 353; 14. Belleville 386; 15. Wayne Memorial 476.
Top individuals: Colin Riehl (Novi) 68, Jackson Frelich (Brighton) 69, Derek Kantola (Howell) 71, Rory Sturos (Howell) 72, J.J. Rickard (Northville) 73, Keller King (Hartland) 73, Nick Tokarz (Northville) 73, Harshan Juttu (Novi) 74, Jacob Daavettila (Brighton) 74, Jacob Dault (Howell) 75, Adam Forcier (Brighton) 75, Luke Downing (Howell) 75, D.J. Gorski (Canton) 75.
Combined tournament results
Team scoring: 1. Brighton 588; 2. Howell 597; 3. Novi 601; 4. Hartland 605; 5. Northville 611; 6. Livonia Stevenson 648; 7. Salem 655; 8. Canton 656; 9. Livonia Franklin 659; 10. Dearborn 675; 11. Plymouth 683; 12. Livonia Churchill 690; 13. Westland John Glenn 741; 14. Belleville 762; 15. Wayne Memorial 931.
Top individuals: Colin Riehl (Novi) 139, Rory Sturos (Howell) 144, Jackson Frelich (Brighton) 147, Jacob Daavettila (Brighton) 147, Harshan Juttu (Novi) 148, Michael Maurin (Hartland) 148, J.J. Rickard (Northville) 149, Keller King (Hartland) 149, Adam Forcier (Brighton) 149, Derek Kantola (Howell) 150.
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@gannett.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Jackson Frelich's 69 helps Brighton secure KLAA golf championship
