GR Catholic Central, Cheboygan's Maybank Make History at The Meadows
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
June 12, 2021
ALLENDALE – The beginning of the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Final wasn’t ideal for the Grand Rapids Catholic Central boys golf team.
The conclusion, however, turned out just fine and resulted in a history-making performance.
The Cougars won the program’s first Finals championship Saturday after shooting a two-day total of 612 at The Meadows at Grand Valley State.
Cheboygan sophomore PJ Maybank won the individual title and set a new LP Division 3 Finals scoring record carding a 135.
Catholic Central finished 28 strokes ahead of runner-up Big Rapids, which tied Hanover-Horton, but won on a fifth-score tiebreaker.
“They actually started out a little bit shaky,” longtime Catholic Central coach Kim Napieralski said. “I wasn’t sure which team I brought (Friday) morning, but then they righted the ship. I think they were a little bit nervous, especially with a young team. The senior leadership was there, but there were some nerves the first few holes. They were fine after that and finished strong.”
The championship capped off a highly successful sports season for Catholic Central, which won football and boys basketball Finals titles in the fall and winter, respectively.
The Cougars, who hadn’t been to the Finals in boys golf since 2015, were led by freshmen Will Preston and Matthew Sokorai, who shot matching 155s to tie for 13th. Senior Andrew Armock was next at 157, and junior John Harmon carded a 160. Junior Luke Preston and senior Thomas Grile combined to shoot a 162 over the weekend.
“They are young, but they are talented and focused so I thought they could do it this year,” Napieralski said. “We don’t have a weak link at all. Anybody could flip for anybody, and it’s been that way all season.”
Catholic Central shot a stellar 306 on Friday to gain control with a 14-stroke lead. The top four golfers shot in the 70s.
“The best teams in sports are the ones that are close with each other and can rely on each other,” Armock said. “We have good chemistry and we all get along, and for our coach to win Regionals and state at the same time for the first time ever is really special.”
Grile, who’s been on varsity all four years, tied his personal low with a final-round 78.
“It’s one thing to shoot 78 with my friends, but this was with tough competition and all eyes on you,” he said. “It was pretty cool to shoot that score and tie my record, and we were always just trying to make it to the state finals. To win it is amazing.”
Grile said the freshmen were welcomed additions.
“They are great kids and they score well, but they are fun to be around, too.” Grile said. “It’s a pleasure to have them on our team, and just having them help us win a state championship is great.”
Maybank, in his Finals debut, shot a scorching 6-under 66 in the first round and then followed it with a 69 on Saturday.
He broke the record previously held by Grand Rapids West Catholic’s Sam Weatherhead, who shot a 136 in 2012.
“I hit it great on Friday, and I did everything really, really solid,” Maybank said. “Today wasn’t as good as yesterday, but it was another good day. I started out a little shaky, but I started to hit it really good after the seventh or eighth hole and then made some nice putts.”
Maybank, who won his first junior golf tournament when he was 7, was one stroke from tying the all-time Finals’ record of 134, held by Hamilton’s Nick Carlson (2015).
“My approach shots were really solid, and I think I hit the most greens I’ve ever hit in a tournament and that really helped,” Maybank said. “This was definitely one of my goals, to win Regionals and win state, so to do both and play this well is definitely all I could ask for.”
Big Rapids experienced another heartbreaking near-miss finishing second for the fourth season in a row.
Junior Luke Welch led the Cardinals with a 154, placing 11th individually.
“We didn’t have too many kids with state finals experience, and we sent our seniors out with four straight runner-up finishes and we had a third,” Big Rapids coach Mark Posey said. “You won’t find too many programs in the state that have that in the last five years. We’re proud of that, and these boys work hard, they listen to their coaches and they know what it takes to play well.”
PHOTOS: (Top) A Grand Rapids Catholic Central golfer hits an approach during Friday’s first round at The Meadows. (Middle) Cheboygan’s PJ Maybank holds up his champions sign after shooting one of the lowest rounds in Finals history. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Bloomfield Hills JV Golfer Adds Rare Highlight to Strong Spring with Par-4 Hole-In-One
By
Tom Lang
Special for MHSAA.com
May 24, 2024
Freshman Lucas Dostal was just aiming for a drive down the middle of the par-4 17th fairway.
Just seconds later, he finished the hole at Hudson Mills Metro Park in that one swing with the driver.
The Bloomfield Hills junior varsity player didn’t see from the tee his ace on the 329-yard hole drop in the cup, so the reaction was delayed – but still refreshing.
“I hit a draw, so the ball started right, then went left and it was kinda going toward the pin but it was too hard to see,” he said in an email. “The ground was firm, and there was some down wind.
“I didn’t see the ball at all go in, but once I realized it, I was in shock. It helped me shoot a really good 71, but I tripled bogeyed (4-putt) the last hole so that kinda ruined it.”
Spoken like a true competitive golfer.
That 71 was good for medalist at the tournament April 20 versus other JV teams like Detroit Catholic Central, Novi and Grand Blanc, and brought way more attention to his game than he’d like.
The program’s junior varsity coach David Lumsden, a North Hills middle school teacher, said a lot of people assumed he’d be bumped up to varsity very soon; even local media talked that way. After all, it was the first tournament of the season, and Dostal comes into the clubhouse with an albatross and a win.
“He is a good golfer, and the first thing I did was email the varsity coach and said I think this kid has got the goods to be on varsity,” Lumsden said. “We had purposefully left two varsity spots open because we have so many young kids who are good golfers; we didn’t know who to choose and left two spots (flexible). I suggested Lucas, but we agreed since he was a freshman to give him a couple more events and see how he does.
“I think he shot in the high 70s the next tournament and the 80s after that. And Lucas came to me after that and said, ‘Coach, can you put me on the B team?’ I think the pressure was getting to him being No. 1 on the A team. So, me and the varsity coach agreed he needs a year on JV to play in some more matches and tournaments and grow into that varsity position.”
The JV team went 9-0 this spring in dual meets and finished in the top 10 in five of six tournaments.
“He’s going to be a great golfer,” Lumsden said. “There’s no part of his game that is lacking. He’s got a great short game. Off the tee he’s amazing. And I’ve watched him make really great recovery shots with his irons. He’s going to be really good; we’re just taking it slow. Don’t want to put all this pressure on him and end up having him quit golf too early.
“Lucas is very mild-mannered. He doesn’t talk a lot. He loves golf and has a brother (Domonic) playing on the varsity team who’s really good too. They are both golf fanatics and love the game. It’s very enjoyable to watch him getting into it and getting used to being a good golfer and getting this kind of recognition. He’s not been bragging about anything, and he’s just a solid golfer.”
If Dostal does make varsity in 2025, he should be joining his brother for that one year together on the team.
“The awareness (of his game) is there,” Lumsden said. “He’s really got the temperament to be somebody that’s going to be a top golfer.
“Many of the top golfers in the state are here in Southeast Michigan, so he’s got a lot of good competition. He might be used to going out with his buddies and beating them by 10 strokes with no problem; now he’s going against kids who are just as good as he is, or better.
“And this is just JV golf. Once you go to varsity, those kids go really low.”
PHOTOS (Top) Bloomfield Hills’ Lucas Dostal shows the ball he drove into the hole next to him for a par-4 hole-in-one April 20 at Hudson Mills Metro Park. (Middle) Dostal, standing third from right, is joined by his team after they won the Ace & Bob Byerlein JV Tournament that day. (Photos courtesy of the Bloomfield Hills JV golf program.)