Oxford shoots 294 in clinching OAA-White golf title
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP— It has been a decade, but Oxford’s boys golf program has definitely returned to the winners circle this season.
The Wildcats captured their first league title since the fall 2001 season, wrapping up the overall OAA White Division championship Tuesday.
Oxford posted a school-record 294 team score to win the second league tournament at Twin Lakes Golf Course. The Wildcats, who also won the first league tournament, finished 5-0 in league duals and are 9-0 overall on the season.
“We’ve had some good scores all season, but this I believe is a school record,” said veteran Oxford coach Terry Kelley. “We have had some nice tournament finishes this year.”
Troy Athens finished second with a play-six, count-four team score of 307. Auburn Hills Avondale was third (134), with Bloomfield Hills Andover (338), West Bloomfield (345) and Bloomfield Hills Lahser (351) following suit in the team standings.
The order in the final league standings is yet to be determined, as all but Oxford has dual meets to make up.
“We’ll have to wait until the end of the year to get a trophy, but it’s worth it,” said Kelley, whose team had competed in the Flint Metro League since 1983 before joining the OAA last August. The Wildcats were fourth in that league last season.
Oxford, which has seven top-10 tournament finishes this season, had all four of its scorers break 80 on the day.
Oxford senior Doug Piesko shot a 67 to lead the Wildcats, the second time he has broken 70 this season. He also shot a 66 at the Oakland County Division II tournament last month and has medaled five times this season.
“He’s developed into a fine young golfer,” said Kelley of Piesko, a four-year varsity veteran who will play at Lake Superior State next season. “He’s had quite a year.”
Freshman J.J. Lewis followed with an even-par round of 72, junior Josh Hosking shot a 76 and senior Nick Hocker a 78 to all finish in the top 10 for the Wildcats.
“Having four guys in under 80 and one in the 60s, that’s a pretty good tournament score,” offered Kelley, whose team is looking to advance out of next week’s Division 1 district at Paint Creek Country Club. “I feel if we play that way at the district, we’ll be one of the top teams. But there are nine good teams at our district.”
Andover’s Matthew Fellows finished third in the medalist standings with a 74, tied with James VanNoord of Athens. James Wang of Athens was fifth with a 76, followed by Oxford’s Hosking in sixth. Oxford’s Hocker tied Avondale’s Spencer Jacobson and Steve Carter for seventh with rounds of 78.
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Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, High School, Oxford, Prep Wraps, Troy Athens
