Oakland Christian wins first golf regional since 1993

WATCHING INTENTLY: Auburn Hills Oakland Christian's Nick VanBiesbrouck views his shot with a keen eye during Thursday's Division 4 regional. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — Everything has been nothing short of a perfect storm for Auburn Hills Oakland Christian’s boys golf team this season. The championship strong continued.

The Lancers, the top-ranked team in Division 4, moved yet another step close to its ultimate goal of a state title by claiming Thursday’s D-4 regional crown at Westwynd Golf Course.

“This is a big deal for us,” said Oakland Christian coach Randy Johnson. “We’d like to win (the state title) for respect for Oakland County. But by winning Oakland County, if we then go and don’t win (a state title), it taints it a little bit. We don’t want this to be a fluke.”

Oakland Christian has won several tournaments this season, including MIAC, county, district and now regional crowns. So far, the Lancers have earned their No. 1 status.

Oakland Christian had four golfers shoot between 77 and 82 to win the title by eight strokes, as the Lancers’ 318 total was ahead of runner-up Ann Arbor Greenhills (327), which entered the regional ranked fifth. Rochester hills Lutheran Northwest, playing on its home course, was the surprise third-place finisher with a 353 team score.

GETTING DIRTY: Southfield Christian's Josh Springer chips this shot out of the bunker during Thursday's Division 4 regional at Westwynd Golf Course. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

The top three teams, plus the top three individuals not on qualifying teams, advance to the Lower Peninsula Division 4 state finals June 17-18 at The Meadows golf Course on the campus of Grand Valley State University.

Junior Zach Preuss was Oakland Christian’s top finisher, placing third with a 77.

Greenhills sophomore Henry Do shot a three-under round of 69 to easily earn medalists honors. Novi Franklin Road Christian’s Nick Ward was second (76), Oakland’s Preuss third (77) and Adrian Madison’s Dan Lamprecht-Carson fourth (78) a

Oakland Christian’s Tyler Coyne and Paul Klemme both shot 79 to tie for fifth and Nick Van Biesbrouck (83) was 10^th overall to round out the Lancers’ winning total.

Johnson said that he has seven players that could have played in Thursday’s regional.

SIZING IT UP: Clarkston Everest Collegiate's Patrick Nalepa tries to line up his putt during play at Thursday's Division 4 regional at Westwynd. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

“Today, it came down to depth,” offered Johnson. “With three players (completed), we should have been up. I’ve got two first team all-state players, and Greenhills was beating us after three guys. The difference was that my No. 5 broke 80.”

Preuss is preparing to defend his individual-4 crown, along with playing for a team state championship.

“I’m really looking forward to (the state finals) this year because I think it’s more fun going as a team,” admitted Preuss. “I was just playing for myself before. Our goal this year is to win as a team, so it’s not just for me.”

Plymouth Christian (360), Sand Creek (366), Royal Oak Shrine Catholic (369), Southfield Christian (370), Grosse Pointe South University-Liggett (373), Clarkston Everest Collegiate/Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes Unified (380), Adrian Madison (384), Hudson (391) and Petersburg-Summerfield (469) rounded out the 12-school team standings.

IT'S IN THE HOLE: Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest's Tom Miller watches his putt fallinto the cup during Thursday's Division 4 regional, where Miller and the Crusaders qualified for the state finals. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

For runner-up Greenhills, Travis Hindle (82), Curtis Heisel (83) and Andrew Khouri (93) rounded out its qualifying effort.

Lutheran Northwest, which lost Preuss to transfer and two others that graduated, was paced by Tom Miller’s fifth-place-tying effort of 79. Jameson Collar (89), Spenser Frania (91) and Austin Kindsvater (94) followed for the Crusaders.

BETTER PRESPECTIVE: Adrian Madison's Justin Webster tries to read the tricky greens at Westwynd Golf Course, site of Thursday's Division 4 regional. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

“It’s amazing how far we’ve come,” admitted first-year Northwest coach Jimmy Mehlberg. “In the first tournament of the year, we shot something like 410.Now we shot 353 and qualified for (the state finals). That’s an amazing feat. The kids have worked so hard all season and now are being rewarded for it. I don’t think anyone expected this, at least not the kids.”

HOLD THE LINE: Ann Arbor Greenhills' Travis Hindle is trying to find a straight edge for his putt during Thursday's Division 4 regional at Westwynd Golf Course.

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Tags: High SchoolBoys Golf, MHSAA Division 4 Boys Golf State Tournament, Prep Boys Golf, PRep Golf, Westwynd Regional

Category: Auburn Hills Christian Acadamy, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Clarkston Everest Catholic, High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps, Rochester Hills Lutheran NW, Troy Christian Leadership Acadamy, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes