Peak performance: Troy golfers post season low to win regional title
DUST IN THE WIND: Troy's Christian Harnishfeger shot a a 74 and placed third Thursday in leading the Colts to a Division 1 regional title at The Orchards. File Photo.
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP — As any coach will tell you, the goal is to always peak during the final weeks of the season.
Troy’s boys golf team is doing just that.
One week after winning a district championship with a season-low score of 307, Troy posted a play-five, count-four team score of 306 Thursday at The Orchards to win a Division 1 regional title.
It’s the school’s first regional crown since the fall 2006 season.
“It’s kind of funny, but we struggled to break 330 the first half of the season,” admitted veteran Troy coach John Getzan. “We came out and shot 315 at the (Oakland County Division I) and were second (312) at the second OAA (Red Division) tournament, so I knew this team was capable. We’ve really come on strong the past three weeks. Last week we won the district with a 307, so I figured that we could have a chance to qualify for the state finals out of this regional. We had our best day of the season.”
Utica Ford, which was sixth at least week’s district, was a surprise regional runner-up finisher at 311, while Warren DeLaSalle was third at 313 to grab the other team qualifying spot.
The top three teams, plus the top three individuals not on the top three teams, advance to the Lower Peninsula Division 1 state finals June 17-18 at Oakland University’s Katke-Cousins Golf Course.
Troy was in the midst of several quality teams in the field, although no teams were ranked in the coaches association top 12 in Division 1 entering the week.
Grosse Pointe South was fourth in the 12-school field at 314, leading the teams left on the outside looking in, while Troy Athens, the other school from the www.northoaklandsports.com coverage region, was eighth (324). South missed by one stroke.
“I thought that DeLaSalle and U-D Jesuit were going to be tough and that Grosse Pointe North was the low scorer at that district last week, so those teams would be in the running along with some of the teams from our district,” offered Getzan. “We put it all together and had a great day of golf. The Orchards is not an easy course by any means, and we went out there and just had a fantastic day. We had three kids in the 70s and a freshman actually led us.”
Freshman Christian Harnishfeger carded a 74 to pace Troy, and his effort was second overall to Utica Ford’s Nick Boguth, who shot a one-over 73. Sophomore James Heichel shot a 76, the same as junior Jeff Holmes, while junior J.R. Graham wrapped up the Colts’ winning effort with an 80.
Troy was the only team to land three golfers in the 70s.
Boguth actually finished in a tie with Macomb Dakota’s Justin Haase at 73 and won the individual regional crown on a one-hole playoff.
DeLaSalle’s Joe Wiles carded a 75 to finish fourth in the individual standings, just behind Troy’s Harnishfeger. Grosse Pointe South’s Will Hyde also had a 75, while Dakota’s Mike Huetteman, Warren Cousino’s Max Livernois and Detroit U-D Jesuit’s Joe Hooks all shot 77s.
While some teams and individuals were celebrating a state finals berth, Athens had a rough exit to the season.
“We had a great season with some really good scores, but we just didn’t have a good day at the regionals,” said Athens coach Dale Rahn. “We had five seniors on our team this year and I don’t think this was the way they wanted to end the season.”
James VanNoord carded a 78 to lead Athens, which was good for ninth overall.
Grosse Pointe South (314) was fourth, while Dakota (317), U-D Jesuit (318), Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (321), Athens (324), Warren Cousino (339), Port Huron Northern (345), Grosse Pointe North (354) and Fraser (362) rounded out the team scores.
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Category: High School, Prep Wraps, Troy, Troy Athens
