Golf Earns Fifth at State
Media by Eric Schweain
Connor Hopwood, Dominic Mazzola, Ryan Hopwood and Thomas Shuert brought home the fifth place trophy at the golf State Championship.
By remaining undefeated in their conference matches and placing second at Districts, the boys golf team not only qualified for State, but came home with a fifth place trophy.
The golf team traveled to Bolivar, Missouri, to play in the State Championship Golf Tournament at Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club on Monday, May 15, and Tuesday, May 16.
Connor Hopwood, senior, played at State for the first time and said he is proud of the team for pushing through heavy wind and rain on the first day and placing in the top five.
“The weather was unfortunate,” Hopwood said. “But, I still feel like I hit the ball extremely well.”
The par for the course was 72, and Hopwood shot a 77 on the first day and a 75 on the second day. He said while those scores are not his best, he still feels like he played well for the team.
“Being with this group of guys is just so fun,” Hopwood said. “We get to talk to each other on the course and create strong bonds.”
Eric Schweain, head coach, said Hopwood and the other seniors were phenomenal players and role models for the team this season.
“They’re a group of talented players,” Schweain said. “We’re thankful to have them.”
Going into this season, Schweain put his players into a competition with each other early on to prepare for the big tournaments like Districts and State, and he said it proved to work well for the boys.
“I have so much respect for them because they were competing against each other,” Schweain said. “But, they were also helping each other which shows the true nature of golf.”
Schweain said the main reason for success this year is simply the player’s talents. He said there has been a strong cycle of golf players over the years and that has shaped the golf program to be as strong as it is today.
“The players are dedicated to golf,” Schweain said. “As a coach, I benefit from these young men that put so much into their craft.”
Thomas Shuert, sophomore, practiced on his own at Meadowbrook Country Club throughout the season to prepare for his first time at State.
Shuert said he did not play his personal best at State, but he is proud of himself for just making it there.
“I already have a goal for next year to play better at State,” Shuert said. “I have something to look forward to.”
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Annie Alcorn, senior, is a Staff Reporter for the Marquette Messenger. This will be her second year on staff. Annie is on varsity mystique and she loves...