On a cold, windy day last month at the Raintree Country Club in Hillsboro, Blake Hammond did something he’d never done before.
He made a hole in one.
In a match against St. Pius X on March 21, the first full day of spring, the senior from Hillsboro took a 7-iron out of his bag and lofted a drive on the 180-yard, par-3 second hole. The ball hit six inches to the side of the pin and rolled backward into the cup.
“I hit the ball and it started to the right and drew back in,” Hammond said.
That Callaway 4 ball is now retired to a place of honor at Hammond’s home, a daily reminder of that moment of perfection.
Each week last spring was a stepping stone toward the state tournament at Sedalia Country Club for Hammond, a two-time Class 3 state qualifier who finished four strokes behind Crystal City senior Tyler Andrews for the Jefferson County Activities Association championship.
After that, Hammond shot 5-over-par at Ste. Genevieve Golf Club to come in third in District 2. A few days later, he punched his ticket to state after finishing 11th at the sectional meet in Crown Pointe in Farmington. As a team, the Hawks missed the state cut by six strokes.
At Sedalia, Hammond concluded his junior year by scoring a two-day total of 165, good for a tie for 46th. He enters his senior year as the unquestioned No. 1 Hillsboro golfer and odds-on favorite to win the JCAA.
Hammond, the league champion in 2015 and 2016, recorded his best round of the young season so far March 26 at the Birch Creek Golf Club in Union, when he shot a 1-over-par 73. Like anyone else participating in an outdoor sport this spring, golfers have had to deal with wet and wild conditions.
“We’ve played on a lot of soggy courses,” Hammond said. “If it’s just raining, we play.”
Two areas Hammond said he’s improved this season are using his irons and consistency around the greens.
Head coach Brian Sucharski said Hammond has a solid, all-around game.
“He’s been developing his short game and working on his course management,” Sucharski said.
The coach added that Hammond has learned a lot from his two state appearances.
“This year we need Blake to lead our team, not only by his play on the course, but by being a mentor to our younger players,” Sucharski said.
Senior Trey Craig and juniors Nate Nicholas and Frank Tello, a sectional qualifier in 2017, are the most experienced Hawks behind Hammond. Stefan Hassell, Jacob Hickson, Andrew Maynard, Chase Luby and Zeek Blaylock are competing for spots on the varsity.
Sucharski said Tello hits the ball far and knows his way around a green, so when his short irons are working, he has a chance to do well. Nicholas’ distance has improved every year and he’s doing a good job with course management. Craig had limited varsity experience last season, and his summer play helped him become more consistent.
The Hawks shot 344 and beat Crystal City by seven strokes to claim last year’s JCAA title. Sucharski said he wants this year’s team to improve on a daily basis and they’ve set some realistic goals.
“Ultimately, we want our kids to have fun at a challenging game that they can play for the rest of their lives,” he said.
Bloom is off of LaRose
Festus senior Kyle LaRose will wrap up his fourth year on the Tiger varsity and try to get back to the Class 3 state tournament, where he competed as a sophomore in 2016.
Festus finished third in the 2017 conference tournament before dropping to eighth in the District 2 tournament. None of the Tigers made it to the sectional round.
“Kyle is our top player,” said Festus head coach Chris Koch, who’s held the Tigers’ reins for the last 13 years.
Festus has plenty of seniors to make the rounds this season. Owen Horsley, Michael Smith and Drew Hudson have been with the team for three years; Logan Uding joined this year. Horsley, a first-team all-JCAA large-schools basketball team selection, missed most of the 2017 golf season with a concussion suffered during basketball season. Smith, Koch said, is very consistent and makes up for lack of driving length with sound course management.
“Individually, we would like to advance as many players as possible in postseason play,” Koch said. “We are stronger in spots 4-6 this year, which should help us compete well in conference play.”
Boys try to step out of Shadowens
Who says a girl can’t compete with the boys?
Not Herculaneum senior Claire Shadowens, who has been the Blackcats’ top golfer all four years she’s been on the team. Last season, she tied for sixth in Class 2 District 1 and grabbed the final sectional medal to qualify for the state tournament for the second time. She finished 74th as a sophomore and 85th last season.
“She has always been committed to being the best that she can be, whether that is on the golf course or in the classroom,” head coach Chris Schell said. “Her work ethic is second to none.”
Seniors Trevor Forshee (a four-year varsity player) and Austin Prince, juniors Dylan Beranek and Matt Moran, sophomores Sam Heidland and Justin Placher and freshman Kory Mueller form the rest of the lineup.
“We have some younger players who are developing their game and learning the skills it takes to make them better golfers,” Schell said. “The emphasis is to develop good practice skills and to try and grow a little each day. Our approach is to keep the ball in front of you and make the next shot.”
Rudden begins fourth varsity season
If all goes well this spring, Windsor senior Kyle Rudden will qualify for the Class 3 sectionals for the third time, something no other Owl golfer has ever done.
Rudden shot 35 over par at Raintree Country Club at last year’s sectional meet and didn’t make the state cut.
Wayne Montgomery, the Owls’ head coach for nine seasons, said it’s possible one or two Owls could reach the state tournament.
“We can challenge for the top three spots in the conference tournament,” Montgomery said. “Hillsboro and Perryville will be tough to beat.”
Rudden’s best asset on the course is his distance off of the tee.
“He can really hit the long drive,” Montgomery said. “He’s been playing really well so far in practices and his short game has improved. He has the potential to shoot par golf on a good day.”
Seniors Connor Portlock and Kameron Givens are the No. 2 and No. 3 golfers. The coach said Portlock is strong at chipping and putting, while Givens has the ability to score in the 40s in most nine-hole matches.
The Owls also are deep this spring, with seniors Jacob Emily, Travis Mooney and Drew Gahn and juniors Josh Krupp, Isaac Carter, Zach Gerleman and Drew Wallace.
JFK transfer is No. 1 golfer for Lancers
Senior Nick Sippel qualified for the Class 2 state tournament in Sedalia last year playing for Kennedy High School.
Kennedy closed last spring and Sippel transferred to St. Pius X, where he has had an immediate impact on the golf team.
As a Celtic, Sippel shot 183 at the two-day state meet and finished tied with Shadowens for 74th in his sophomore year (2016). He missed the state cut at sectionals last season by two strokes.
“He has experience on his side,” St. Pius head coach Austin Willis said. “Last year he was in a much tougher (sectional) than he is now.”
Senior Jason Rothweiler joined the team this year and other top Lancers are senior Andy Rocca (fourth year) and juniors John Herrell and Austin Meyer.
“Jason and Austin both have good power,” Willis said. “Andy and John are more consistent and less wild with their shots.”
The Owls were shut out of all-conference honors last year.
“I just want to see progress from my returning players and make sure they are getting better than they were last year,” Willis said.
Hornets play final year under Breeze
Sean Breeze has coached Crystal City golf for nine years. He was the head coach of the school’s boys basketball team for 11 seasons.
Both runs will end in May because Breeze has been hired to teach and coach basketball at Jefferson next year.
The Hornets are already starting anew without perennial state qualifier and 2017 graduate Tyler Andrews, who won the JCAA title twice, including last year by four strokes. Andrews also won the Class 1 District 1 title at Viburnum. The Hornets advanced as a team to Springfield, where Andrews shot an even-par 70 to win a sectional championship.
Andrews capped his stellar career by qualifying for state all four years and finishing tied for sixth in the state in 2017.
Breeze said a new No. 1 golfer hasn’t emerged yet for the Hornets. Seniors Eaghan Huff and Connor Pinkley enter their fourth seasons on the team and juniors Griffin Morris, Connor Lowe and Dylan Beekman all are starting their third years.
“Most all of our players have similar games,” Breeze said. “We really need to work on being more consistent overall.”
Smith top golfer at De Soto
De Soto senior Anthony Smith looks like the No. 1 golfer for the Dragons, who finished fifth in the conference tournament and seventh in Class 3 District 2 last season. Smith was a sectional qualifier in 2016.
Head coach Zeb Hammond said the goal this year is to get at least two golfers through to the sectional tournament.
Joining Smith on the varsity this season are senior Nick Davis, juniors Jared Gardner, Bryar Bequette and Jordan Reando and freshman Jacob Pruneau.