Rain Delay Can't Stop Flint Powers' Charge
June 10, 2018
By Butch Harmon
Special for Second Half
BATTLE CREEK – The Flint Powers Catholic boys golf team gained plenty of experience playing after extensive weather delays this season.
That experience paid major dividends during the second round of the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals on Saturday.
Shortly after the first groups hit their tee shots at Bedford Valley Golf Course, the cracks of thunder brought out the horn calling players off the course. The next five-plus hours found golfers, coaches and spectators huddled in and about the clubhouse as heavy rains hit and put day two of the Finals in jeopardy. After a nearly six-hour delay, the rain came to an end and the Division 2 golfers finished just before darkness fell to cap a highly-competitive two days of golf.
Flint Powers came out on top with a two-day total of 600 to edge Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (603) and East Grand Rapids (608).
The lengthy delay was something the Powers golfers had experience with as they endured a four-hour delay during the regular season on their way to winning a tournament at Katke in Big Rapids.
“I’m so thankful we went through that because the boys handled it very well up there, and they were able to take that and carry it over and handle it today,” said Powers Catholic coach Robert Beach. “They just kicked back and relaxed, and we tried to have a little fun. We went out and had lunch and got back here and had to wait a little bit longer, but once that horn sounds, they’re in competitive mode.”
Powers strung together four strong scores after the delay as sophomore Grant Tucker shot a 72, senior Matt Knight carded a 73, senior Zach Hopkins shot a 74 and sophomore Ty Vanitvelt added a 76.
Heading into Saturday’s final round, the Chargers trailed Friday’s leader, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, by five strokes. Notre Dame Prep shot a 300 on the first day, followed by East Grand Rapids with a 301 and Forest Hills Northern with a 302. Following right behind Powers Catholic was DeWitt with a 306, Gaylord and Richland Gull Lake with 308 and Byron Center with 309 – in all, seven teams were within nine strokes of the lead.
“This is my 30th year of coaching, and I’ve never seen it this close,” Beach said. “I’ve never seen so many teams that had a chance going into today. I was talking to the other coaches, and we were all hoping and praying. Our kids worked so hard, every team worked so hard to get here, all I wanted was just a chance today. I’m so thankful all these kids got a chance to experience the second day of the state tournament.”
For the Powers seniors, the title was extra sweet after they finished second at last year’s state meet.
“We had the mindset going into today that if we were able to play, we would pull it off,” Knight said. “It’s pretty cool to see that happen. It’s a big turnaround in one year and a great way to go out as a senior.”
Fellow senior Hopkins finished the tournament with rounds of 73 and 74 to lead the Chargers with a 147 total, eight shots off the lead. Although the delay was a challenge, the opportunity to capture the title made the wait worth it.
“The delay was a little annoying,” Hopkins said. “We didn’t know if we would play today. I’m happy that we ended up playing. The course itself was actually not as wet as I thought it would be.
“That’s all we wanted all this year. I’m happy we finally accomplished it.”
Mason’s Alex Jordan also made the most of the long delay. Jordan put together two solid rounds to win the medalist honor with a 139. Nick Krueger of Spring Lake placed second with a 141 followed by Andrew Kolar of Forest Hills Central with a 142 and Tanner Moore of Byron Center and Charlie DeLong of DeWitt with both at 143.
Trailing by two strokes entering the second day, Jordan relaxed and spent time with people close to him.
“It was nice being with my mom and my coach,” Jordan said. “Being able to talk with them and not get impatient just thinking about it. I was able to distract myself a little bit. I did a good job of staying patient. When I came back I had an eight-foot putt for birdie, and I knocked it in on the first hole.”
After shooting a 69 on Friday, the birdie putt sent Jordan on to a score of 70 after the weather delay. Jordan’s strategy was the same as it was for the first round.
“I just tried to do the same things I did yesterday,” Jordan said. “I played a very similar round as far as making decisions and where I placed the ball, and it worked.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Flint Powers coach Robert Beach and golfer Grant Tucker confer during Saturday’s second round at Bedford Valley. (Middle) Mason’s Alex Jordan watches one of his shots. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Medalist Menser Sets Pace as DCC Pulls Away from Skyline to Take Back Title
By
Tom Lang
Special for MHSAA.com
June 8, 2024
BATTLE CREEK – For the last four years, Detroit Catholic Central and Ann Arbor Skyline have been battling nip and tuck as two of the top teams in Michigan, led by 2024 seniors Julian Menser of DCC and Vibhav Alokam of Skyline.
This year, Catholic Central nipped Skyline, again, winning the boys Lower Peninsula Division 1 title at Bedford Valley by eight strokes with a two-round 597.
Menser shot 70-70-140 over Friday and Saturday to win medalist and lead the Shamrocks to the team title, the program’s second over the last three years. DCC’s prior three championships came from 2015-17.
Menser said none of his current teammates were on the squad with him two years ago when Catholic Central came from behind to nudge out Ann Arbor Skyline by one stroke.
“I’m really excited, but I’m even more excited for the guys on the team that have won (the state title) because they haven’t gotten to experience this,” Menser said like a true leader. “Looking back on my sophomore year, in the moment that was the entire highlight of my high school career, and obviously this (today) will rival it. But I’m happy for those guys. They worked really hard. I’ve pushed them hard, and they’ve responded and played really well. I’m happy for them more than for myself.”
Menser led with his 140, while senior Carson Lloyd took 13th at 152, and two sophomore teammates Jack Whitmore and David Krusinski placed 23rd and 26th, respectively.
“I’ve had this event circled on my calendar, and I’ve wanted to win this for a long time,” Menser said. “It’s a really strong field and good competition, so it’s exciting to come out on top and know that all my hard work has paid off.”
His next step in the progression is to play golf at Michigan State.
“It’s the best golf team in the state. And ever since I was a little kid I wanted to go play golf at Michigan State,” he said. “It’s a dream come true, and I can’t wait to get there and that be my next step.”
The lead group Saturday featured Metro Detroit powerhouse golfers Peter Roehl, the defending medalist and a senior at Rochester Adams, and Skyline’s Alokam – who took runner up to Menser this weekend. Roehl dropped in a birdie putt bomb on the 18th green to finish with a second-round 70 and sixth place.
“I’m proud of the way I played today,” Alokam said. “Can’t really be mad at a 69. Julian is just such a good player. He really didn’t make any mistakes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get many putts to fall on the back nine to maybe get him nervous and hopefully get some pressure on him. But it’s all good, he’s a great dude and great player.
“The team, for a while there we weren’t putting up good scores, we didn’t break 310 for like a month,” he added. “So, I’m really proud of how we bounced back and how we kind of got it together here at the end of the season.”
Alokam is next headed to Villanova to join his older brother Vimal, a senior to be. “Playing with a sibling at a collegiate level is any kid’s dream,” Vibhav Alokam said.
“CC is always going to be good,” he continued. “They have a ton of good guys, good players. We got them my freshman year, then they got us by one (in 2022) in an incredible comeback. This year they got us again. We battled hard; it’s just the way it falls sometimes. But they deserve it.”
Sophomore Troy Nguyen of Warren De La Salle Collegiate tied for third with senior Matthew Novak of Mattawan. Conner Fox of Lake Orion tied Roehl for fifth.
PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Catholic Central’s Julian Menser follows an approach shot during Saturday’s second round. (Middle) Ann Arbor Skyline’s Vibhav Alokam tees off. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)