While other teams may still be working on getting in their practice time, the season is already off and running for the Lake Orion High School varsity boys golf team.
Coach Monty Gallaher returns this year with seniors Jeff Peters, Nick Bierschbach and Adam Redick. Also back is junior David Kurtz, the team’s captain.
New to the varsity squad this season are juniors Craig Schmehel and Peter Tinetti, sophomore Adam Hadadd and freshman Brett Bryan.
‘The summer really helped these guys,? said Gallaher. ‘They will be a lot better than I originally thought we would be.?
Gallaher said along with Kurtz, Peters and Bierschbach will make up the team’s core.
‘They’re playing really well,? he said. ‘They were in the 70s all summer. We need to get one other scorer in and we’ll be pretty solid.?
Gallaher said the fact that Lake Orion has a young varsity team this year isn’t worrying him.
‘Last year we ended on a down note,? he said. ‘We were fifth at the regional, and the top three advance to the state competition. I was worried how this team would come back.?
Kurtz did make it to the state competition as an individual last season. Gallaher has high hopes for all his players this year.
‘I think we can be better than last year,? he said.
The Dragons played in four early season tournaments the week of Aug. 9-15, after tryouts were held Aug. 5-6.
On Aug. 9, Lake Orion played at Prestwick Village in the Huron Valley Invite, finishing eighth out of 15 teams, with 328.
Kurtz finished with 79, Peters with 82, Bierschbach with 83, and Tinetti with 84.
Hadadd had 87, and Bryan finished with 97 for the team.
‘The regional is still the one date we’re really looking at,? Gallaher said. ‘I don’t know yet who that fourth guy will be to come in and score for us.?
Gallaher took the whole team to the Traverse City Central Invite, held Aug. 11-12.
‘They’re all trying for that position,? he said. ‘They’ve all been playing all summer, and that’s one thing you have to do, because high school golf is so competitive.?
At Traverse City, Bierschbach led the team with a two-day total of 154; 75 the first day and 79 the second. He was tied for 16th overall out of 110 players.
Kurtz also played well for Lake Orion, finishing with 155; 77 the first day and 78 the second.
‘The team finished in the middle of the pack, and our younger players gained a lot of experience,? Gallaher said. ‘The team had 329 both days, for a total of 658.?
The Dragons will again look to Rochester Adams and Clarkston to provide their toughest competition in the league.
?(The varsity team) is gung ho,? Gallaher said. ‘They’re excited, as am I.
‘The one freshman we have on the team, he looked pretty stable at tryouts. It’s quite an accomplishment for him to make the team.?