Indy Star

 

By Nat Newell

 

The Hamilton Southeastern High School boys golf team returns four players who led the program to the final day of the state meet for the first time ... but they're going to have to earn their varsity positions again in a deep and talented program.

"I don't have four good players or three really good players," said coach David Young. "I have a varsity and junior varsity full of good players. I love having a team of strong players from top to bottom.
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"One of the biggest things I look for is kids that like to compete, even with each other. That's one of the things that's most exciting (about this team)."

Every coach talks about peaking at the end of the season, but few can match what the Royals did last season. They won their first regional, then placed a school-best fifth at the state meet by shooting 299 on the second day, the first time the Royals broke 300 in an 18-hole event, according to Young.

No. 1 Wes Bowman, No. 2 Parker Sheppard, No. 3 Grant Braden and No. 5 Will Kleinrichert return, along with Kris Oldham, who played in the state championship two years ago but reworked his swing last season and competed as the No. 7 player. Senior David Predajna, sophomore Evan Duffey and a talented freshman class will push for varsity time.

"Before sectionals we went into the varsity gym and looked at our banner, and there wasn't a regional (year)," Young said. "To be able to put (the first) regional date on that banner, to shoot our best day ever (in the state meet), for these kids to get to their third state finals as juniors . . . that's a huge sense of accomplishment."

Young got an early indication of his players' enthusiasm when in January the team received an invitation to the Hall of Fame Tournament at Rock Hollow Golf Club in Peru. It's the state's premier early-season tournament with seven of the eight finalists from last year's state meet but takes place at 8 a.m. April 11, the final weekend of Hamilton Southeastern's spring break.

 

"When I asked them if we wanted to accept the invitation, they all wanted to come back early and be part of that," Young said. "For high schoolers to give up their last weekend of spring break shows how excited they are. You can't ask for anything more as a coach."
Royals at a glance

2008: Fifth in state meet.
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Top returning players: Wes Bowman, Evan Duffey, Grant Braden, Kris Oldham, David Predajna, Parker Sheppard and Will Kleinrichert.

Schedule

Tuesday -- Westfield and Carmel, Prairie View, 3:30 p.m.

April 11 -- Hall of Fame Tournament, Rock Hollow Golf Club at Peru, 8 a.m.

April 15 -- Anderson, Ironwood, 4 p.m.

April 20 -- Fishers, Stony Creek, 3:30 p.m.

April 22 -- New Palestine, Ironwood, 4 p.m.

April 23 -- Park Tudor, Prairie View, 4 p.m.

April 25 -- Tiger Invitational, Stonehenge at Warsaw.

April 30 -- Lawrence North and Mount Vernon, Winding Ridge, 3:30 p.m.

May 2 -- Brownsburg Invitational, West Chase, 1 p.m.

May 5 -- Brebeuf Jesuit, Carmel, Cathedral, Lebanon and Zionsville, Crooked Stick, 4 p.m.

May 6 -- Avon, Prestwick, 4:30 p.m.

May 9 -- Lafayette Jeff Booster Invitational, Coyote Crossing, 9 a.m.

May 11 -- Hamilton County Tournament, Wood Wind, 4 p.m.

May 12 -- Hamilton County Tournament, Wood Wind, 4 p.m.

May 16 -- Culver Invitational, 9 a.m.

May 18 -- Hoosier Crossroads Conference Tournament, Bear Slide.

May 27 -- Brownsburg, West Chase, 4:30 p.m.Schedule