Prep Preview: Harper Creek, Gull Lake look strong for 2024 boys golf season
BATTLE CREEK — It's time to start our swing into spring here as boys golf is traditionally one of the first sports the Enquirer takes a look at as we roll out season previews.
With a new batch of players on rosters, high school golf fans will want to scan this preview to get used to some of the new names that will be swinging the clubs among the city and area boys squads.
Key dates for the season include the annual All-City Golf Tournament on May 23, as well as the start of the postseason with MHSAA regional tournament play the week of May 27-June 1. The MHSAA state finals are set for June 7-8 at various sites, including Division 1 being hosted by Bedford Valley in the Battle Creek area.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS:
2024 All-City Boys Basketball Team
2024 All-City Girls Basketball Team
Here’s a closer look at the key city and area boys golf teams for 2024:
Harper Creek
Coach: Tony Evans (2nd season)
2023: All-City Champs; 3rd in Interstate 8 Conference
Top Returners: Joey Mario, jr.; Spencer Denney, jr.; Colton Beard, jr.; Evan Munoz, jr.
Outlook: Tony Evans is now in his second season at his alma mater as a head coach after being a former longtime leader of a Lakeview program where he had state tournament success. Evans helped the Beavers to a second straight All-City crown a year ago, but lost some senior leadership due to graduation. Harper Creek will be led by a strong junior class, all of which saw varsity experience a year ago and finished as the top four golfers on the team, in Joey Mario, Spencer Denney, Colton Beard and Evan Munoz. Harper Creek will need some new faces to step up to fill out the varsity lineup this year, which could come from a group of new-to-the-team athletes in junior Quinn Barrick as well as freshmen Mack King and Jake Shragg.
"We made considerable strides last season, dropping on average eight strokes per player last year. If we can continue to drop strokes, we should put ourselves in a position to win All-City, the I-8 Conference, and qualify for state," Evans said.
Lakeview
Coach: Dave Ouellette (6th season)
2023: 4th in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East Division
Top returners: Klay Helner, sr.; Eric Ryan, jr.; Josh Neal, so.
Outlook: Lakeview is short on senior leadership, with only two seniors on the roster that played last year, which includes Klay Helner. But there is some experience with the return of the core group of competitors from a year ago in junior Eric Ryan and sophomore Josh Neal. Golfers that spent some time on junior varsity a year ago are going to be counted on to take the next step, including senior Kalvin Frank, junior AJ Robertson and sophomores Jay Hamric and Peyton Shek.
"Our team is looking forward to improving upon last year's season. We have some players that are ready to score lower and help out the team," Ouellette said.
Pennfield
Coach: Fred Beronja (8th season)
2023: N/A
Top returners: Andrew Hill, jr.; Dakota Parsons, jr.; Nolan Badgered, so.; Evan Lampert, so.
Outlook: With some experience returning, Pennfield is looking to build some momentum in an effort to have a turnaround season. The Panthers return four varsity goflers, but no seniors. Juniors Andrew Hills and Dakota Parsons, as well as sophomores Nolan Badgered and Evan Lampert, will lead the charge as Pennfield hopes to climb the ranks in the Interstate 8 Conference. The Panthers are hoping for good things from newcomers in junior Brenden Black and sophomore Luke Noffsinger.
"This team works hard and looks forward to a good season. We have little experience from last year, but we are looking to get better," Beronja said.
St. Philip
Coach: Mike Kimber (9th season)
2023: 7th in conference
Top returners: None
Outlook: St. Philip competed with a lot of veteran golfers a year ago, but graduation losses have hurt the roster. The Tigers will open the season without a single golfer with varsity experience.
"This season will be filled with a lot of learning and growth. We don’t return any players from last year and we have a lot of guys new to the game," Kimber said.
Area Teams To Watch
Gull Lake
Coach: T.R. Walters (7th season)
2023: SMAC Champs
Top returners: Beau Carr, sr.; Ben Szabo, sr.; Hank Livingston, jr.; Joey Blondia, jr.; Max Vandermolen, so.
Outlook: Gull Lake has a loaded team and has visions of winning another conference championship as well as competing for a state title. The Blue Devils finished fifth in the state a year ago and return senior captain Beau Carr, who was honorable mention all-state. Gull Lake also brings back all-conference picks Ben Szabo and Hank Livingston. Junior Joey Blondia was first-team all-state as a freshman and returns to high school golf after sitting out last year. Sophomore Max Vandermolen is in his first year in the program at Gull Lake after winning the Michigan Junior Amateur as an eighth-grader and becoming the youngest ever to make the cut at the Michigan Open when he was a seventh-grader.
Marshall
Coach: Bob Voigt (1st season)
2023: N/A
Outlook: For the second year in a row, Marshall boys golf will have a new head coach. But this time, it is also an 'old coach'. Bob Voigt returns as the head coach for Marshall after one season away. Previously, Voigt led the Marshall boys program for nine years. A strong Redhawk coaching staff also included assistant coach Nancy Chapman, who has had over 20 years of involvement in youth golf in the area, including with the Meijer Junior Golf Tour. Marshall will return all but two of the athletes in the varsity lineup and will get a boost from a core group of young golfers coming up as the Redhawks hope to challenge once again for a top spot in the Interstate 8 Conference.
"Our outlook on 2024 is to build upon the solid foundation and history of great high school golf in Marshall. We will contend for an I-8 championship and plan to return to the state finals as a team. With many returning players and some four-year seniors playing their best golf, we see only good things for this team," Voigt said.
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: High School Sports Preview: Battle Creek area boys golf for 2024
