Suttons Bay Makes History - Again
June 6, 2015
By Dean Holzwarth
Special for Second Half
ALLENDALE – Nine years ago, the Suttons Bay boys golf team won the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Final at The Meadows of Grand Valley State University with four seniors and an underclassmen.
History repeated itself Saturday afternoon.
Suttons Bay claimed its first Division 4 championship in nine years by clipping runners-up North Muskegon and Grosse Point Woods University Liggett by two strokes.
Suttons Bay finished at 675, while North Muskegon and University Liggett closed at 677.
“It was very similar from nine years ago in many ways, and this is an incredible feeling,” Suttons Bay coach Todd Hursey said. “I’m just so happy for these seniors, and this was a week where I felt like we were coming in as the underdogs. But I knew we had a shot.
“For these guys to stay resilient on a tough course in these kind of conditions was just amazing.”
Suttons Bay shot 334 Friday and trailed North Muskegon by one shot entering the final round, but made up ground by shooting a 341 Saturday.
Suttons Bay’s title run was even more satisfying given it didn’t make it to the MHSAA Finals a year ago after placing fourth at Regionals.
“We didn’t have a lot of experience in the state finals and that was a concern, but a key to this team was they were able to stay relaxed in some real pressure situations,” Hursey said. “It’s a tough sport to keep composure, but watching them for the 36 holes I had a great feeling about the final result because of how they handed it.”
Senior Devin Capron finished runner-up by two strokes after shooting 148 (73-75).
Senior Lars Thornton carded a 165 (83-82), while Chris Jasinski shot 181 (91-90) and Mason Rohback had a 185 (87-98). Freshmen Thomas Hursey shot 188 (94-94).
“I’m amazed, and I’m so excited,” Capron said. “We’ve been dreaming of this since we were freshmen, and this was our goal. I think there was less pressure being underdogs coming in, and our team has worked super hard. We hadn’t reached our full potential this year, and it’s very special for the seniors.”
Capron qualified as an individual a year ago and placed fourth. He was much happier to have his join him this time around and wasn’t upset at all about finishing second individually behind Leland’s Joel Sneed.
“I wasn’t playing for myself today, and I didn’t care if I won individually,” he said. “I just wanted my team to do well, and we did and we pulled it off.
“I thought I played really well today and kept my head after shooting 41 on the front, but Joel is a great player. I’ve played with him all year, and he’s in our conference. I love to see him win.”
University Liggett was seeking to win its first MHSAA Final in 33 years, but had to settle for its best finish since its last title.
“They fought hard, but we’re disappointed with the result,” said University Liggett coach Dan Sullivan. “Our scores all year have been much better, but this is a very difficult track and we came up two strokes short. Give credit where credit is due to Suttons Bay. They did the dance.”
University Liggett was led by senior Stephen Campau’s 161 (81-80) total.
“It’s tough for me because I had four seniors out there, and this was our one shot to do it so that’s frustrating,” Sullivan said. “But it is a pretty successful season to finish second in the state. That’s pretty good stuff, but just bittersweet.”
North Muskegon was paced by junior Will Mierz, who finished in the top 10 for the second year in a row with a 159 (80-79) total.
Sneed, a senior, repeated as individual champion after firing an even-par 72 on Saturday. He shot 74 on Friday and finished at 146.
“I played really good golf,” Sneed said. “I was a little stagnant early on and made a couple of good putts, but it was just a good steady round. Nothing spectacular.”
Sneed was in a competitive battle with first-round leader Noah Schneider of Jackson Christian, and Capron.
He created breathing room on his 16th hole, the par-5 first hole.
“I played the par-5s horribly until No. 1,” said Sneed, who will play for the University of Nebraska in the fall. “I hit the best drive of my life probably and had 130 yards in. I hit a 52 degree (wedge) to 12 feet and made eagle. I kind of felt a little separation there, and I three-putted my last hole but it didn’t cost me.”
Sneed trailed Schroeder by two strokes after an opening round 74, but liked his position.
“I was right where I wanted to be,” he said. “I didn’t want to shoot 74, but I found that I’m a little more comfortable playing from behind, especially playing with the leader. The pressure is not on you, and you know exactly where you are. It was a nice setup going into the second day.”
Sneed recorded a pair of birdies to go with his eagle.
“It hasn’t really sunk in that I won, but it’s my swan song going out with a state championship,” he said. “It’s the best way to finish my career.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Suttons Bay came back Saturday to earn its first MHSAA championship since 2006. (Middle) Leland's Joel Sneed won his second straight individual title. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).
Frankfort's Newbold Cool, Calm, Contender
June 6, 2019
By Chris Dobrowolski
Special for Second Half
FRANKFORT — On the golf course, Frankfort senior Will Newbold appears to be calm, cool and collected.
It’s an outward impression that mirrors the way Newbold is feeling on the inside too.
Newbold’s easy-going demeanor has served him quite well on the links as he’s helped lead the Panthers to their fifth straight Lower Peninsula Division 4 Golf Finals appearance and sixth in the past eight years.
In a sport that can seem to break even the most stoic of players at times, Newbold doesn’t let his emotions get the best of him, taking the good with the bad in the same even-keeled fashion.
“I just feel like being able to keep your head and stay composed is a really good attribute to have,” said Newbold. “If I do mess up, I feel like I can shrug it off and get back on track. Maybe make a couple birdies and get back on track to shooting a good score.”
Good scores have been the norm for Newbold, who enters the Finals at Grand Valley State’s Meadows course as the medalist in the Northwest Conference — at 3-under in league play he was the only player under par for the year — and at the Regional he shot a 74 to win by one stroke. In fact, only two times this season has someone topped Newbold on the leaderboard.
The four-year letterwinner generally has been the Panthers’ top performer the past two years and was Frankfort’s low man in its last two trips to the Finals. He fired a 162 as a sophomore as Frankfort finished 12th. His score of 150 last year put him in a tie for eighth overall and the Panthers rose to ninth in the team standings.
The aspirations this season are for a top-five team finish, which would mark the best the Panthers’ boys golf program has ever placed.
“I always look at the state tournament as that’s the real season,” said Frankfort coach Tom Thorr. “That’s when you want to be playing your best. Our goal has always been to be in the top 10 in the state. This year you can’t help but look at the other scores in Division 4. I’m certainly hoping we have a good showing. I think it would be great if my team could finish in the top five.”
The Panthers have some good experience with seniors Jack Reznich and Riley Thorr, along with junior Luke Hammon. Sophomore Daniel Newbold, Will’s younger brother, rounds out Frankfort’s top five, but what the younger Newbold lacks in experience he makes up for with ability. He and Hammon both turned in top-10 performances at the Regional with a pair of rounds at 82.
With Will Newbold at the top of that lineup, the Panthers have a squad capable of meeting their high expectations.
“I’ve always told my kids they don’t have to shoot 70,” said Thorr. “If we can have four guys shoot 80 or 82, we’re going to make a lot of noise. But having somebody who can go out and shoot a 70-72 (like Will), it kind of gives you that latitude where you can afford a 90 or a 94 and still be really solid.”
Thorr believes his top player could be in the hunt for medalist honors as well when all is said and done.
“He’s got a chance,” Thorr said. “He’s going to have to play well. There are some good players out there, no doubt. When we get down there, we’ll see them all. He’ll have to rely on that mental game.”
It’s that mental game that has been Will Newbold’s strength and allows him to perform at such a high and consistent level, says his coach.
“Everybody’s going to have a bad shot or a bad hole, or a stretch of holes,” said Tom Thorr. “You have to have the right mentality to get through that. Like Will, if he has a bad shot or a bad hole he’s just got this uncanny ability to just kind of brush it off. ‘Oh well, I’ll get it back.’ It may not be the next hole, but he’s pretty focused. He doesn’t let a whole lot of things rattle him. His mental game is pretty solid. He hits the ball straight. He’s not super long, but he’s real consistent.”
As a collection, the Panthers are a product of their environment. Each of Frankfort’s top five players caddies at nearby Crystal Downs Country Club — a course that is consistently ranked among the best nationally and worldwide by pundits — and they frequently take advantage of the chance to play, taking on the challenging course as they’ve built up their games.
“I try to go out there every night in the summer,” said Will Newbold. “It’s fast, unforgiving. You’ve got to hit spots, or you’re going to be in trouble. The greens are really tough and really hilly. I would say it’s one of the harder (courses) in the state.”
Those daily tests, along with instruction from the likes of local PGA pros Scott Wilson and Ed Laprade, have helped a player like Newbold make huge strides in a relatively short time. Newbold started playing the game only four years ago, but now finds himself in the discussion of the best players in Division 4, with a chance to prove it on the course in his final match of his high school career.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the summers just grinding at the range and playing golf every day,” he said. “I progressed pretty quickly. I worked so hard in the summer and in the offseason to get better. It’s good to see my hard work being rewarded.”
Chris Dobrowolski has covered northern Lower Peninsula sports since 1999 at the Ogemaw County Herald, Alpena News, Traverse City Record-Eagle and currently as sports editor at the Antrim Kalkaska Review since 2016. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTO: Frankfort's Will Newbold, second from right, will lead a talented and experienced lineup to the Lower Peninsula Division 4 Final this weekend. (Photo courtesy of the Frankfort golf program.)