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Editorial: Golf teams bring growth, success
Op-Ed · June 18, 2015


West Branch High School’s golf teams marked two strong seasons in 2015, though with different strengths, to be sure.
The boys came into this season heavy on seniors and varsity returning players; the girls had a young team with only one senior on the roster, but fought hard to improve between themselves and in competitions.

Even with all their skill and experience, it would have been too much to say the boys were the favorites to win the conference. The River Valley Conference’s had other quality, strong teams, like Durant, Tipton, Regina, Wilton and Monticello.

Yet the Bears won the RVC tournament on the razor’s edge -- only two strokes separated the top four teams. Just two strokes. And it came down to the last foursome to walk in the clubhouse.

Head Coach Randy Sexton said “it probably wasn’t very professional” to cheer and high-five his players, but who could blame him?

At sectionals, in Tipton, Durant had the better day, and West Branch finished second. But second allowed the Bears to move on to districts in Iowa City, an accomplishment West Branch has not seen since 2011. Four years later, they did it with a whole new crew and finished the season 16-4. At districts, they finished a respectable fourth out of six.

Determining all-conference players is much more straightforward that most other sports: The top 12 scores at the conference tournament get the honors. That day, Austin Perks, Lucas Lamont and Matt McIlrath all got in.

For the girls, the Top Four lineup changed somewhat from the beginning of the season to the end. It was that fluid. Also unusual was that the team captains were all juniors: Emma Wright, Jenna Bower and Jenae Murry.

Yet the young team made steady improvement throughout the season, getting some wins that even seemed to impress Head Coach Jan O’Neil.

As the season rolled on, a couple of the younger and less-experienced players climbed their way into the Top Six. Those players with the best consistent scores get on the varsity roster, and that is just what they did, though it was a tight battle for the girls team.

By the end of the season, the Top Six girls golfers representing the Bears at conference and regionals were all underclassmen. And out of a field of 13 teams at the conference meet, this young team finished ninth. When they moved on to regionals, the Bears finished fifth out of nine teams.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Syndey Lamont, Haley Mullinnix, Claire Bridges, Aleah Rocha, Jenae Murry all medaled or earned runner-up medalist spots at times throughout the season. That also is unusual, and it tells you just how close these girls can play against each other and against conference opponents.

Golf can be a fickle game. We’ve all heard of first-time golfers shooting par on a hole or two. But so many girls scored so well in a single season on nine- or 18-hole courses that it is a sign of a team battling to represent West Branch in a very positive manner.

Congratulations to the boys and girls golf teams and all your growth and success from this past season. Go Bears!