Houghton 3-Peats, Negaunee Ace Shines
June 2, 2016
By Keith Shelton
Special for Second Half
CHAMPION – With a strong golf game that can travel just about anywhere and a top three as strong as any in the Upper Peninsula, it wasn't hard to understand how Houghton secured an MHSAA Division 1 U.P. Finals three-peat Thursday at Wawonowin Country Club.
Whereas the Gremlins' closest competitors struggled mightily on certain holes, Houghton stayed consistent as it has all season, despite windy conditions, and retained the title with a 317 score, 10 strokes better than runner-up Negaunee.
The Miners had their share of advantages this go-around, playing on their home course. And while they celebrated top golfer Carter Mason earning medalist honors with an even-par 72, Houghton's overall depth proved stronger and its golfers able to translate their games to a not-so-familiar course.
"Going into the year, we didn't know what we'd have in the back end of our rotation," said Gremlins coach Corey Markham. "We knew our top three were real strong, but our four and five golfers – George Butvilas and Ben Strong – really came up big for us. They came on strong as the year went on, and they proved to be very important in today's score."
The Gremlins were led by third-place Gunnar Stein, who shot an impressive two-over 74, especially given a two-hole string on the back nine. Stein struggled on holes 14 and 15, taking a six on 14 and a seven on 15 after losing a ball in the water. The two holes pushed him out of the medalist spot despite a double bogey free day on the other 16 holes.
"Gunnar had it under par for a while, but he had a triple bogey on 14," said Markham. "To keep your head straight and come through that is tough to do, but he did just that. It's a testament to his golf ability, and his mental state."
Mason had no such problems. Playing the course where his family has had a membership for the last decade, he avoided big mistakes and was the lone golfer to come in at par. Kingsford's Dylan Dalsanto was runner-up with a 73.
"My putting was the best part of my game today," said Mason. "I started off with three bogeys in the first five holes, but then I came back with birdies on 6, 7, 10 and 16.
"On 15 (which has water), I played the tee shot safe with the 3-wood, and stayed short of the water."
Last year at Pine Grove, Mason was far back from the leaders, shooting in the mid 80s. The double-digit improvement was validation of his work during the summer.
"Last summer, I played almost every day," Mason said. "I started hitting my irons a lot better and making a lot more putts this year. My putting has definitely improved.
"There were a few holes that could have been improved today, but it was pretty good," Mason added.
Gremlins senior Wyatt Liston placed fourth overall with a 75, followed by Bryce Douglas of Gladstone and Nathan Rousseau of Escanaba, both with 81s.
Negaunee's runner-up team finish was a pleasant surprise for Mason. The Miners have played second fiddle to Escanaba and Gladstone at most events this year. Escanaba's top golfers struggled on a number of holes, resulting in a third place team score that was slightly disappointing, though coach Brian Robinette was pleased with the effort.
"Wawonowin is a course that demands that you're on with your golf swing, on with your short game, on with the mental portion of things," Robinette said. "You have to be able to pick yourself up and dust yourself off after a double bogey. You need to keep your emotions in check.
"Our five boys went down swinging, and I'm proud of the way they handled themselves. They put a lot of pressure on themselves, as all competitors do. The looks on their faces tell me everything I need to know."
The Gremlins will lose Liston, who with his sophomore sister Kaaren on the girls team made a formidable tandem for Houghton golf over two seasons.
"The Listons are an awesome golf family," said Markham. "They just live for golf. They're very talented.
"It's going to be sad to see Wyatt leave, but he won his share of U.P. championships as a team at Houghton. Kaaren is only a sophomore, and such a good solid golfer. We're looking for two more good years out of her."
Negaunee, on the other hand, had no seniors this year. Led by Mason, who will be a senior next season, the Miners will be on the watch list for a Division 1 title.
"We're going to have the same exact team next year," said Mason. "We should improve over the summer, and we'll have a good chance to win next year. We'll see how that goes."
PHOTOS: (Top) Houghton's Gunnar Stein watches his tee shot on No. 17. (Middle) Negaunee's Carter Mason chips onto the No. 14 green. (Photos by Keith Shelton.)
Strong Finishes Vault Lumen Christi to Top
June 10, 2017
By Butch Harmon
Special for Second Half
BIG RAPIDS – After coming up three strokes short of an MHSAA title last season, the seniors on the Jackson Lumen Christi boys golf team were determined to leave Big Rapids with a championship trophy this weekend.
That determination was put to the test on both days of the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Final at Katke Golf Course, home of the Ferris State University golf teams. Turning in strong scores on the back nine both Friday and Saturday, Lumen Christi finished with a two-day total of 639 strokes. Hometown contender Big Rapids took the runner-up trophy with a 647 while Grand Rapids West Catholic, a team featuring three sets of twins, placed third with a 659.
The road to the title was anything but easy for Lumen Christi. While the Titans returned four seniors from last year’s runner-up squad, they faced challenges from the beginning of the season through their final holes of this spring.
“We had four seniors on this year’s team, and that always helps having that senior leadership,” said Lumen Christi coach Dave Swartout. “What is real amazing about this group is they never quit. We started poorly on both days, but the guys just kept plugging away and plugging away and plugging away. We really played well on the second nine on both days. These were long, six-hour days, and to do what they did on the second nines was just amazing.”
Senior Logan Anuszkiewicz led the way for the Titans as he shot rounds of 75 and 78 to finish in a tie for third individually with a 153 total. The team title was the first since 2012 for Lumen Christi, and for this group of seniors it was a goal they’d had since entering high school.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Anuszkiewicz said. “Four years in a row we’ve been close, and finally we did it.”
Fellow senior Phil Stuart was a testament to Lumen Christi’s tenacity. Stuart carded rounds of 81 and 82, but the scores were hard-earned.
“I shot a nine on number one (a par four) today so I didn’t start out strong,” Stuart said. “I wasn’t about to give up, so I kept grinding for the team. We really wanted this, so we all just kept grinding.”
One of Lumen Christi’s biggest obstacles came shortly before the season began when Luke Girodat, the Titans’ number one golfer, was hit by illness.
“Luke, our number one player, came down with mononucleosis before the season, and that put a crimp in things,” Swartout said. “He shot an 83 and an 84 for us this weekend, and that was with him feeling about 70 percent. He just never quit and kept grinding.”
“We just wanted this, that was it,” Girodat said. “We lost last year when we couldn’t finish on the back nine, and we were not going to have that happen this year.”
Senior Riley Hestwood turned in rounds of 85 and 81, believing all the time in his coach and teammates.
“Coach told us to keep going and keep grinding it out,” Hestwood said. “We believed in each other and our team and just kept grinding.”
Big Rapids, playing in the shadow of its high school just up the road, improved on a third-place finish from last year and also provided itself with a tangible goal heading into next season as the team will graduate just one player.
“First off, congratulations to Lumen Christi,” said Big Rapids coach Mark Posey. “They played two good days of golf. It always hurts and stings for a while, but we hope to move up one more spot next year. We have four guys coming back for next year.”
Tait Morrissey, that lone senior, fired rounds of 79 and 85.
“We sent Tait out with a second this year after a third last year,” Posey said.
Sophomore Pierce Morrissey finished in a tie for fifth individually with rounds of 77 on both days for a 154 total.
Charlevoix senior Matt Good came away with the individual medalist honor. Like the Lumen Christi team, Good needed to grind it out both days plus one additional hole as he and Tawas junior Daniel Shattuck both carded 150s for the tournament, forcing a playoff.
On the first hole of the playoff, both Good and Shattuck reached the green in three strokes. However, Good had a 4-foot putt while Shattuck faced roughly a 30-footer. Shattuck two-putted the hole and Good drained his on the first try to win the individual title.
“I just focused on my breathing and making good swings,” Good said. “I put in a lot of hard work, and it paid off.”
That hard work included countless hours working on short putts like the one that won him the title.
“I’ve spent thousands of hours dropping down a chalk line and practicing those 4-footers,” Good said.
He was two strokes off the lead heading into Saturday and started the final 18 slow, but came on strong on the back nine.
“I struggled at the start today,” Good said. “I started with a double and then bogeyed the next hole. I just kept grinding and trying to hang in there all day. I just tried to hang in there both days.”
For Good, hanging in there has been the story of his high school career, as he returned to the Finals this season for the first time since his freshman year.
“I struggled the last two years,” Good said. “I worked real hard over the offseason, and I had some really big goals this year and I achieved every one of them.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Jackson Lumen Christi’s Luke Girodat follows a shot during Saturday’s Division 3 Final. (Middle) Charlevoix’s Matt Good watches his approach on the way to winning the individual title. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)