PREVIEW: Area boys golf teams begin seasons

Here is a preview of each Press-area boys golf team that responded to our preseason survey in alphabetical order.

CLAY EAGLES

Veteran head coach Rob Belegrin enters his 28th year leading the golf program at Clay.

Last year, the Eagles finished 15-4 overall and won the NLL Cardinal Division title, which was the program’s first league title since 1993. The team finished sixth at sectionals, while the now-graduated Ty Franke and Darin Fussell qualified individually for district play. Those two were four-year letterwinners.

This year, Clay returns senior letterwinner Eli Shimman, as well as junior letterwinners Grant Vriezelaar and Maddox Byers. Notable newcomers include four juniors: Carson Woodworth, Jake Hammonds, Connor Newman and Blake Brossia.

GENOA COMETS

Second-year head coach Jon Sandwisch will lean on a trio of returners from a team that finished as the NBC runner-up a year ago.

Seniors Ben Routson and Colby Ralston were both First Team All-NBC performers. Routson averaged 38.4 strokes, while Ralston averaged 41 and even earned Honorable Mention All-District recognition last year. Junior Brody Klatt earned Second Team All-NBC accolades after averaging 44.6.

“We will lean on Ben, Colby and Brody to lead the way this season,” Sandwisch said. “All three have proven they can compete at a high level, and they have done an outstanding job providing leadership throughout the summer. I am especially proud of our two seniors, Ben and Colby, and the commitment they have shown to this program. Their work ethic and desire to leave a lasting legacy at Genoa have set the standard for the rest of the team.”

The program will have to replace a pair of graduates in Vinny Pasty, a Second Team All-NBC performer, and Joel Gittus, an Honorable Mention All-NBC selection.

“Those two provided outstanding leadership throughout the season while continuing the proud tradition of Genoa golf,” Sandwisch said.

The Comets, who finished third in sectionals last year, will add several newcomers this season, including juniors Braydin Jacob, Jaxon Denniston and Cohen Ledford. Sophomore Lucas Madson and freshman Owen Henneman-Dallape are also on the squad.

“We are excited to see who emerges for us as the No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 guys,” Sandwisch said. “Every newcomer has worked tirelessly to improve their game this summer, and their dedication has been evident.”

GIBSONBURG GOLDEN BEARS

Led by Kirk Katafias, who is in his 12th year as head coach, Gibsonburg will look to improve upon last year’s finish, which included an eighth-place outing at the SBC Championships and a ninth-place finish at sectionals.

Katafias said this year’s top returners are senior Miguel Torres, as well as sophomores Grayson Burkett and Cole Kayser. The top newcomers are juniors Max Kayser, Chase Ramirez and William Schaffner, as well as freshmen Connor Fought and Evan Ramirez.

The team will have to overcome the graduation losses of Nathan Billow, Ryder Havens, Kayden Havens and Lawtyn Holley. Billow was an Honorable Mention All-SBC selection.

“We are looking to make daily improvements throughout the season,” Katafias said.

LAKE FLYERS

Gabe Scott takes over the Lake golf program this fall after the team finished fourth in the NBC and ninth at the sectional tournament a season ago.

“I have a great feeling about this season,” Scott said. “We have a few returners that will help lead our young team. We have 19 kids in the program this year, so I am excited for the growth and development of the program as a whole.”

The team’s top returners are expected to include senior Brayden Steinhurst, as well as juniors Breken Costanzo and Jace Ayers. Last year, they helped the Flyers finish third in NBC Shootout #3, fourth in both the first and second league shootouts, and fifth in the final league regular season event.

NORTHWOOD RANGERS

John Poddany enters his second season in charge of both the girls and boys golf teams at Northwood, looking to continue growing the programs.

“I am looking for continuous improvement,” Poddany said. “Golf is a hard sport, so my assistants and I are trying to give the golfers all of the resources they need to continue to improve. The kids have all been really positive and are having fun learning this great game, so I believe that we will continue to improve throughout the year.”

On the girls side, Emily Reichow returns for her third season, and Poddany was pleased with her consistent growth last year. Meanwhile, Evie Donegan enters her freshman season with her father, Matt, as an assistant coach.

“Evie has been fully bought into golf since I started to try and build the girls team at the end of the school year,” Poddany said. “Her dad helps her do a lot outside of practice to continuously improve. She is a super positive young lady, and I am excited to see her improve over the year.”

Meanwhile, on the boys side, Poddany will have to replace graduate Bryceson Laurell, who was the team’s top golfer a year ago. At the same time, the Rangers return Caiden Genson and Brett Reichow, a pair of first-year golfers last year who showed a lot of growth and improvement.

“Bryceson will be tough to replace due to being able to keep things light-hearted on the course,” Poddany said. “That’s a great leadership quality to have on the golf team, and I am hopeful Brett and Caiden will be able to take that role over.”

Freshman Connor Grow is also competing for one of the team’s top spots.

“Connor has come out and been a young golfer that is pushing for a top one or two spot in the team,” Poddany said. “Once he is able to fully believe in his abilities, he will have a heck of a season and future.”

OAK HARBOR ROCKETS

John McKitrick returns for his fourth year in command of the Oak Harbor boys golf program.

“The team has shown consistent improvement over the past few seasons, and we’ll look to finish in the top half of the NBC,” McKitrick said. “Landon Ish made huge strides and will look to be Oak Harbor’s first district qualifier in recent years.”

Last year’s team finished sixth at the NBC Championship and placed ninth in sectional play. They’ll have to overcome the graduation of Paxon Alge, who was the team’s top finisher at the NBC Championship. Several key returners will help, led by the senior, Ish, who was a Second Team All-NBC selection last year while finishing 11th at sectionals and recording a low 18-hole score of 82.

Junior Aden Belcher was 15th at the NBC Championship and 23rd at sectionals while recording a low of 83. Fellow junior Jacob Lalonde was 32nd at sectionals and notched a low of 87, and sophomore Ethan Briggs also returns after recording a low of 106 as a rookie.

WAITE INDIANS

The Waite golf program is coached by Luke Murphy on the boys side and Caitlin McVicker on the girls side.

Overall, the young team features four returners with experience hitting the ball, including one with match experience, while the boys side graduate five of the six who played in matches.

“I was very senior-oriented, and we took third in the city,” Murphy said. “Lima Senior won it. Scott took second. We were right there. Scott had two kids that were nice players and a third kid. Lima Senior had a very good team.”

On the boys side, junior Tim Stahl and sophomores Dominic Jones and Alex Bialecki are back, while sophomore Arianna Carr returns on the girls side.

“They came to a lot of practices, hit the ball (last year),” Murphy said. “They just weren't ready to get out on the course.”

Murphy, who teaches at Waite, has led the boys program since 2020. It’s his 10th year coaching golf overall in a career that began at Libbey. McVicker has coached for three years.

“I got a lot of kids signed up, a lot of kids that were in my class,” Murphy said. “They see all the stuff I put around the room about golf, and they're intrigued to learn.”

Waite, which plays most of its home matches at Collins Park, features separate boys and girls programs, but they combine when they don’t have enough for separate lineups. This wouldn’t be the first year they’ve combined. In fact, just a few years ago, Murphy said his best golfer, Gabrielle Fouty, was on the girls side.

Overall, approximately 30 kids have signed up for the golf program so far, and some are dual-sport athletes.

“Hopefully we can get a couple other people with them,” Murphy said. “At the end of last year, I thought I might have a squad that might be prepared to make a run. Lima Senior and Start have been the two best teams since we brought golf back. We've been close, but we haven't had that fourth and fifth person.”