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Tiger golfers look to round out squad
The Fort Scott High School golf team goes into this season with just one varsity spot open due to graduation. And on Tuesday morning, head coach Ken Klassen knew for the most part that he will be able to count on at least four positions being filled when the Tigers begin defense of their Southeast Kansas League championship Thursday with the first league-designated meet at Independence Country Club.
"We've only lost Luke Geneva," Klassen said of the only senior on last year's varsity. "Who we have back were always solid last year. We just don't really have a No. 5 or 6 scorer yet."
If you haven't been around high-school golf much, teams are made of six players. The best four scores count toward the team total, although you do want a solid No. 5 because his score is used to break ties. And on days when maybe one of the top four players struggle a bit, a good day from your fifth or sixth golfer can keep a team competitive.
That said, there is no lack of qualified candidates for those last two spots, a few of whom got a taste of varsity competition last year.
Two varsity spots will go to golfers who were among the top five players in the SEK last season: senior Chris Brown and junior Cole Murrin. Brown was third in the SEK last season while Murrin was fourth.
"Chris is a solid competitor," Klassen says. "I really like Chris to have a good season. He's played for us all four years. It would be nice for him if he could win the SEK."
Murrin is in his third season in the Tiger golf program, earning varsity time when he was a freshman.
"Chris and Cole will be the anchors of the team. Cole can hit it a mile. It's just a matter of him mastering his short game."
Junior Dylan Renfro was seventh in the SEK last season and looks to be the No. 3 man on the team. Paul Norris, another junior, should fill the No. 4 position.
"Paul did a good job of improving all year long," Klassen noted. "He had his best performance, perhaps not his best score, but his best performance at the State Tournament."
Sophomore Tanner Beckham played in most varsity tournaments last season. Other candidates for the last two spots include seniors Andrew Defebaugh and Tyler Cook and sophomore Nolan Stark.
"Those are the likely possibilities at this point," Klassen said. "But there are a few others just right behind them."
Those three are senior Corey Midkiff, who just started okaying golf last year, and underclassmen Evan Hiser, Trevor Swim and Jacob Nielsen.
Last year, the Tigers were not only league champions but also Class 4A Regional champs. They hope to maintain that form and improve on it as the year goes on. As a team, they were fifth at State last year with Brown earning 11th place.
"The kids have been a great group to work with," Klassen says. "We've had little quality time to practice with the rain. We also had a winter that wasn't conducive to practice at all.
"Right now, we're not very consistent in practice. Indy's, hopefully, going to be a great surprise for us."
Hopefully, not as surprising as last season when that opening tournament at Independence finished with snow accumulating on the greens.
"Our goal is to somehow medal (as a team) at State," Klassen says. "That would be a great performance for each member of the team to be able to achieve."
Bold print denotes Southeast Kansas League designated meets.
All events begin at 3 p.m. unless noted.
Thursday.......at Independence, 1
April 1......at Iola
April 8.....at Pittsburg (Crestwood C.C.)
April 10....at Columbus
April 21......at Iola-Buck Quincy Invitational, 8:30 a.m.
April 24......at Coffeyville
April 28......at Chanute
May 7......at Prairie View
May 8......FORT SCOTT INVITATIONAL
April 1......at Coffeyville
April 10......at Jayhawk-Linn
April 14......at Columbus, 1
April 23......at Prairie View
April 29......Labette County Tournament at Parsons
April 5.......Independence Tournament at Sycamore