Norway, West Iron's Thomson Take Championship Strides
By
Matt McCarthy
Special for Second Half
June 2, 2021
GAASTRA — West Iron County's Nathan Thomson enjoyed the comforts of competing at his home course Wednesday, as the Wykons senior captured the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 2 boys golf championship at the George Young Recreational Complex in Iron County.
Thomson, a senior, shot a 77 to take home medalist.
"The greens were really fast today, faster than I have ever seen here," said Thomson. "I play here almost every single day. But it's awesome to win U.P.'s here."
It was also a blustery day at times, which Thomson noted came up in spurts.
"There was a point on hole 11, where I could see the ball moving on the green because of the wind, as I was waiting to putt," Thomson added.
Norway took home the team title by a significant margin over runner-up Hancock, 328-357, with four Knights finishing among the top seven individuals including runner-up Jeffrey VanHolla with a 78.
The team title was Norway’s fourth and first since 1988. The Knights had finished Division 2 runners-up six of the last eight seasons, including back-to-back to West Iron County in both 2018 and 2019.
Evan Anderson shot an 80 to finish third, followed by Drew Anderson with an 84 in fifth and Carson Chartier with an 86 for seventh. Tyler Parker with a 105 rounded out Norway's lineup on the day.
Two years ago (before COVID-19 caused last season to be canceled), Drew Anderson was second and VanHolla and Thomson tied for third at the Division 2 Final which also was at George Young.
"I don't know what else was different here today besides the fast greens, but I usually shoot lower scores here, especially the last two rounds I played here before today," said Drew Anderson, a junior this season.
Fourth place among individuals went to Mason Mikesch of Hancock with an 81. Finishing in sixth place was Jeff Starzynski of Stephenson with an 85, and Justin Carrick of Brimley and Ricky Brown of Iron Mountain tied for eighth place with 87s. Chad Nordstrom of Hancock and Josh Magnusen of Newberry tied for 10th with 90s.
On the team side, Brimley was third with a 382. The next three teams were separated by two strokes – St. Ignace fourth at 405, Iron Mountain fifth at 406 and Pickford seven carding a 407.
Newberry at 416, Watersmeet at 419, Munising at 422, Stephenson at 433 and Bark River-Harris at 520 rounded out the team scores.
PHOTOS: (Top) West Iron County's Nathan Thomson unloads a drive during his championship round Wednesday. (Middle) Norway celebrates its first team Finals title since 1988. (Photos by Matt McCarthy.)
Brothers Stalcup Pace Division 4 Field as Everest Collegiate Climbs Again
June 10, 2023
BATTLE CREEK – The battle within the battle that decided the Lower Peninsula Division 4 championship Saturday was not an unfamiliar one for the Stalcup brothers.
Just 10 days ago the Stalcup boys led Clarkston Everest Collegiate to a team Regional championship while matching up to finish first and second individually, senior Remy followed by sophomore Parker, separated by just two strokes.
This weekend at Battle Creek’s Bedford Valley, the results were nearly identical. The Stalcups led Everest to the Division 4 Final championship – the program’s first since 2017 and after the Mountaineers finished runner-up a year ago. And the Stalcups finished first and second individually – Remy shooting a two-round 142 to finish Finals medalist for the second time, and Parker just six strokes back in second place.
“It’s pretty awesome to do it a second time in my high school career,” said Remy Stalcup, who also claimed the individual title in 2021. “He had me on the ropes a little bit down the stretch, but I pulled it out.”
Everest shot a 315 on Friday to bring a 10-stroke team lead into the final round, and finished with a 625 – 17 strokes clear of runner-up Hillsdale Academy.
Remy Stalcup shot a 70 on Friday to lead individually by six strokes with 18 holes to play. But when Parker Stalcup birdied No. 13 on Saturday, he pulled within two of the lead – and then Remy bogeyed No. 14, cutting his advantage to a single stroke.
“I was about to beat you, but it didn’t happen,” Parker Stalcup said as he and his brother interviewed together after the round was complete. “I thought I had him going into 14, and then I just hit a couple of bad drives, which led to some bogeys. And I just lost it from there.”
Hillsdale Academy’s Rykert Frisinger and Maple City Glen Lake’s Blake O’Connor tied for third, shooting 150s. Everest sophomore Will Pennanen bolstered the Mountaineers’ effort with a 155 to tie for seventh individually.
“Remy is the captain of the team … (and) the team chased him so it makes the whole team better, chasing him all the time,” Everest coach David Smith said. “And he’s actually become a great leader. So he’s actually encouraging them and actually taught them a bit about his game … and he’s encouraging and voting for them to make birdies and go after him. It’s a good bunch of kids that follow him around, and that’s why we were successful.”
Remy Stalcup had tied for third and Parker had tied for 15th at last season’s Final as the team finished runner-up to Lansing Christian.
Remy was the only senior in the team’s lineup this weekend, and Parker said he and his teammates will be ready to pursue a repeat title.
“He’s a little Pac-Man. That guy’s just going to chew people up. He doesn’t stop (for) nothing,” Smith said of the younger Stalcup. “’He’s always looks forward, never looks backward.
“He’s going to be good for a long, long time. He may be better than his brother at the end of the day. We’ll see.”
PHOTOS by High School Sports Scene.