Brighton Golf Finds Championship Mix
October 15, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
BRIGHTON – When Paul Parsell considers what each of his players brings to the Brighton girls golf program, he can’t help but think about the food.
The Bulldogs’ moms have fed the team incredibly well this season, and that contribution isn’t lost on the sixth-year coach.
The right ingredients make the difference – and it just so happens these moms are fueling what could end up the most accomplished team in Brighton golf’s storied history.
This season’s team is an interesting mix of veterans, newcomers, phenoms and self-made standouts. And the Bulldogs hope it’s a winner as they try to cook up their first MHSAA championship beginning Friday with the first round of the Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final at The Meadows at Grand Valley State University.
Brighton has never finished among the top two at an MHSAA Final, but enters this weekend having won all but two of its events and ranked No. 3 in the final LP Division 1 coaches poll.
“It was very fun to see it all come together," said Allie Erkkila, the lineup’s lone senior.
"Our skills are up to par. It's just up to our mental game. Our team is very close, and I think that if we keep a level mindset, we can do our personal best."
Erkkila’s perspective is a unique one on a team filled with them. Start with the top seven players.
There’s the veteran: Brighton finished fifth in Division 1 in 2012 and 12th in 2013, but didn't make last year's MHSAA Final. Erkkila is the only member of the team who has played in the final tournament of the high school season – she was in the lineup for the first round in 2013.
And the athlete: Now-sophomore Heather Fortushniak joined the lineup last season and shot the team’s second-lowest regional core. She’s the team’s best all-around athlete; she played hockey and tackle football growing up and also plays basketball at Brighton. This fall she’s become a more polished golfer, giving the team a strong third player behind a top two that can match any in the state.
The next in line: Freshman Annie Pietila is the middle daughter of five of what could be considered Brighton’s first family of golf. Her older sisters Hannah and Emmie both play at the University of Tennessee and were regulars among the top 10 at their MHSAA Finals. In Annie’s high school debut, at the Traverse City Central Invitational in August, she set Brighton’s school record for 18 holes with a 68.
The standout who gave high school a try: Pietila’s score was tied a week later by a player also making her high school debut. Junior Julia Dean was a veteran of the American Junior Golf Association and already has committed to play collegiately at the University of Baylor. She said she’d always wanted to play on the high school team too, but couldn’t make it work with her schedule. This fall, she could – and joined the team a week in, shooting her 68 to win Brighton’s Coach Miller Invitational.
The elite gymnast: Freshman Autumn Blaney had ascended to Level 10 as a club gymnast before deciding to give golf a try, and that competitiveness has transferred over to a sport she’s played for only six months. Blaney has improved so quickly the Bulldogs used her 84 at their Regional.
And don’t forget 6 and 7: Sophomores Sophia Lowe and Emme Darkowski came to tryouts a year ago shooting in the 120s. Their averages have fallen into the low 90s and they’re pushing hard enough to make the lineup that Blaney had to defeat them in a nine-hole match last week to earn the fifth spot at the Regional.
They lead the way: Parsell has four children ages 6 down to 1 who easily could’ve been reasons for him to step away from the program – if he didn’t consider the team an extension of his family and his oldest hadn't been hanging out at practices since he was 18 months old. A major help has been the addition of assistant Jimmy Dewling, a former Brighton standout who played at Michigan State and returned to coach last fall. During matches they focus on golf-related things like course management. But just as important is the team bonding they foster to make the blend just right.
Dean averages 71 strokes for 18 holes, Pietila 79 and Fortushniak 84. Although maybe not this formidable, the Bulldogs have had similar strength at the top in the past – along with the older Pietilas, Jennica Long is a freshman playing at Florida Atlantic and Nicole Meyer plays at Hope College and three days ago was named Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Women’s Golfer of the Week.
But the biggest difference in this title hunt could be the players carding the fourth and fifth scores.
“What’s shown up for us is the growth of our program. We have really seven golfers that can play, and our five, six, seven probably could be top five for a lot of teams,” Parsell said. “I know a lot of teams out there struggle at four and five, and even three. To have that on our team makes it more competitive. They’re battling for position. You usually do that in college. We’re doing that here.”
And doing so together, which makes this a different and worthwhile experience for players like Dean and Pietila who were used to golf as an entirely individual sport.
“It’s been cool to have that camaraderie with the team and travel with the team, and everything is more of a team effort, which I really like and enjoy,” Dean said. “It’s different in golf; you’re not out there helping your own team. But it just motivates you to do that much better because you’re playing for your team.”
Brighton finished sixth at that Traverse City Central tournament before she joined. But the Bulldogs then won all of their matches and tournaments until the Oct. 1 Kensington Lakes Activities Association final at Pontiac Country Club, where they shot 345 to finish third – seven strokes back of No. 7 Plymouth and one back of Division 2 No. 4 South Lyon. Brighton came back a week later and won its Regional with a 317, 10 strokes better than No. 4 Novi.
The late Bill Miller laid much of the program's foundation during 28 seasons before he died in 2009. Parsell said he's worked to build on Miller's work, taking a top-10 team to one that can contend annually among the top three.
The Bulldogs made runs at the top with Annie Pietila's older sisters, who have visited practices twice this season and continue to cheer on the team as it goes for the ultimate accomplishment.
“They still love the team and they love the coach. They didn’t have a season quite like this, but they had good seasons too,” Annie Pietila said. “They think it’s great I get to experience this.”
Geoff Kimmerly joined the MHSAA as its Media & Content Coordinator in Sept. 2011 after 12 years as Prep Sports Editor of the Lansing State Journal. He has served as Editor of Second Half since its creation in Jan. 2012. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for the Barry, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee, Gratiot, Isabella, Clare and Montcalm counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Brighton’s varsity golfers, from left, Autumn Blaney, Heather Fortushniak, Annie Pietila, Julia Dean, Allie Erkkila, Sophia Lowe, Sydnee Ellingson and Emme Darkowski. (Middle) The players pose with their regional trophy, coaches Jimmy Dewling (left) and Paul Parsell (right). (Photos courtesy of Brighton girls golf program.)
Kalamazoo Christian's Senior-Loaded Lineup Eying Another High Finals Finish
By
Pam Shebest
Special for MHSAA.com
August 27, 2024
KALAMAZOO – Scarlett Hindbaugh’s parents tried to get her into golf when she was in early elementary school, but she did not like it at all.
But as she headed into ninth grade at Kalamazoo Christian High School, Hindbaugh decided to play a fall sport.
All of a sudden, golf was looking pretty good.
Now, as a senior, she is one of the top golfers on a team loaded with talent – and a team that also made program history last season with its highest MHSAA Finals finish coming in runner-up to Lansing Catholic in Lower Peninsula Division 4.
With four seniors returning from that team, fifth-year coach Mike Schield will have a tough time filling the final spots in his lineup.
“We’re looking throughout the season who that No. 5 player is going to be,” he said. “What we’ve done differently this year, instead of taking six varsity players (to matches), we’re taking eight.
“We’re pretty confident we know who our starting four are. Out of the B Pod of our varsity players, we’re trying throughout the season to give everybody an opportunity to see who’s going to stick out by the end of the season.”
Besides Hindbaugh, the three other current seniors from that 2023 runner-up team are Jordyn Bonnema, Kennedy Gernaat and Ella Adams – Adams another player who picked up golf for the first time as a freshman.
The Comets kicked off the season at the Lober Classic at Crystal Mountain last week.
“It was a great team-building experience,” Schield said. “It’s a very challenging golf course, and the girls got to learn a lot about their games.
“It was a really good snapshot as far as the golf goes for these girls to understand what they need to do from now until October.”
The Comets finished ninth overall at the prestigious 24-team event, but third among Division 3 and 4 teams.
“I didn’t play my best golf, but it was our first time up there,” Bonnema said. “The course is beautiful; it’s a hard course. I feel like it set the stage to where we need to be. It gave us a starting point, and we’re going to work from there.”
Climbing the ladder
For the last three years, Schield has taken Kalamazoo Christian to the MHSAA Finals as a team, finishing sixth in 2021, fourth in 2022 and second last year.
Bonnema led the Comets last October, placing sixth individually.
“The first year, we were happy to be there. The second year, we had a little higher expectation; last year we got a little bit closer,” said Schield, a PGA pro who has taught at X-Golf Kalamazoo since 2018 and previously worked in elite junior golf development at Mission Hills in southern China.
“Seems like each year we’ve been able to make steps up the ladder. I would say we made those steps up because of the way we built our program.”
Of the eight golfers on varsity, Bonnema is one of the leaders.
“Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to coach a Jordyn Bonnema?” Schield asked. “She’s an elite athlete, multiple sports (basketball, soccer). She brings that extra level of intensity and determination that you expect from an elite athlete.
“The cool thing about Jordyn is that she’s playing these multiple spots, which she should, but it does take time away from her ability to play golf all year round. She is one of the top players in Division 4.”
Bonnema realizes she is one of the team leaders.
“Every day, I try to bring as much energy as I can and be the leader that everyone is looking for and try to set a good example for not only underclassmen but setting the standard that we need to be at every day,” she said.
Schield said that No. 1 spot is shared by Gernaat.
“Kennedy’s sister (Kylie) was a former No. 1 on our team, and I feel that Kennedy has stepped into those shoes,” he said. “She’s a very polished golfer and was the individual Regional champion.
“She’s got one of the best short games, putting strokes that I’ve been able to coach since my time being here.”
As novice golfers three years ago, Hindbaugh and Adams said they both benefited from Schield’s teaching.
“(Coach) was very welcoming, good environment, very open, very relaxed, no-pressure kind of environment,” Adams said.
Schield said Adams has a great attitude that rubs off on her teammates.
“She could have just hit the best shot or the worst shot, but always has a smile, is always looking forward to the next shot, which is a great trait that all coaches want their players to have,” he said.
As for Hindbaugh, Schield said she has become a more complete golfer since last season.
“Over the last year, she’s taken a constructive approach to evaluating her game and trying to find the right areas to focus on for her own self-development,” he said.
Another key senior is Kyah Klok.
“The last two years she has been very close to making our varsity team,” Schield said. “This is the year she’s punched through. She packs a punch. She’s got some power.”
The lone junior is Lizzie Yonkers, who played the second day of the Finals last year and has improved over the offseason.
“She is a well-balanced player from tee to green,” he said. “The special thing about Lizzie is she helps all of our players keep things light and fun, which helps balance out the intensity of our team.”
Lilly Locker, the only sophomore, was a “star of the JV team last year,” Schield said. “This is what you could easily consider the future of the girls golf program.
“She has length, understanding of the game and can perform well, iron play, short game and putting. All she needs now is experience in tournament play.”
Although she is just a freshman, Rylee Slater made varsity because “she’s athletically gifted and a quick learner,” Schield said. "She has this season with very little pressure on her to learn and develop herself as a player. She’ll be fun to watch.”
No matter who rounds out the roster, Hindbaugh said the team knows what to expect if they make it back to the Finals.
“We played with East Lansing (last year), and one of the things they could do so well is they could get up to the green and chip in a putt and not screw up around the green,” she said. “That’s what we’re focusing on this year, that short game.”
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One bonus of the Lober Classic trip was a chance to learn about nutrition and prepare food with Schield’s wife, Lindsey Stillian, a nutritionist at Thriving Bite in Kalamazoo.
“Golf is not as obviously an intense sport,” Schield said. “It’s a season where we have to play golf in different weather conditions.
"First and foremost, you have to take care of your health so that you’re available to play.”
Gernaat said she learned a lot from Stillian.
“As athletes, it’s important to keep a balanced diet, and also food is fuel for your body, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting the right food groups and enough of the right food,” Gernaat said.
“It made me feel more energized during the round. Instead of going to get fast food, homemade food was definitely better.”
Pam Shebest served as a sportswriter at the Kalamazoo Gazette from 1985-2009 after 11 years part-time with the Gazette while teaching French and English at White Pigeon High School. She can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Calhoun, Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Kalamazoo Christian senior Scarlett Hindbaugh putts during a recent practice, surrounded by teammates (from left) Ella Adams, Lilly Locker, Kennedy Gernaat, Lizzie Yonkers, Kyah Klok, Jordyn Bonnema and Rylee Slater. (Middle) Clockwise from top left: Bonnema, Gernaat, coach Mike Schield and Adams. (Below) Hindbaugh works on her chipping. (Photos by Pam Shebest.)