Sports

Golf teams to fight weather in 2013

By Tyler Ohmann

04/16/2013

Most spring sports have been majorly affected by the late winter weather, but perhaps none more than golf. With snow littering courses and cold temps keeping the ground a frozen tundra, it may be a long time before golfers hit the links in North Dakota.

Of course the storm that hit the area this past weekend didn’t help matters any either.
For Bottineau’s boy’s and girl’s golf teams this means a short season.

“I honestly don’t think we’re going to be able to golf until mid-May,” said boys and girls head golf coach Joe Bender. “And the problem is that the courses we can play are going to be so far away, we’re going to have trouble getting kids down there for them.”

“It’s going to be hard scheduling-wise,” Bender added.

In fact Bender said that scheduling will be the toughest obstacle for the Braves and Stars this spring.

“I do think it (scheduling) is going to be the toughest thing,” Bender said. “Especially since our first meet will probably be our first practice, and that’s never a good thing.”

“It’s going to be a very interesting year,” Bender added.

Star potential

Despite the shortened season, Bender has high expectations for the Bottineau girl’s team.

“We only lost one senior and we have Ashley Blue, who’s been to state the last few years,” Bender said. “And our younger girls are some of the better golfers in the region for their age, and we should be able to put together a super strong team.”

The only thing he is worried about is the team’s belief in themselves. He sees their potential, but he hopes they can see it as well.

“The girls know it and I know it too, that we have all the potential in the world to be region champions,” Bender said. “There is no reason we shouldn’t advance to state.”

However, hard work will be needed according to Bender. That might be difficult with the weather forecast.

“The girls have to know they need to put in the time and the effort to get the way that they want,” Bender said. “It’s going to be difficult with the snow and the lousy weather we’re having.”

Bottineau returns state-entrant Blue as well as strong varsity players in junior Bailey Neubauer, sophomore Jacie Ceglowski and eighth graders Alicia Monson and Abby Bristol.

They also add a couple new additions in sophomore Erin Severson and freshman Cheyenne Sturlaugson.

A mixed bag

After a season with zero seniors on the roster one would expect that a potentially talented Bottineau Braves golf team would be expected to be strong team this year.

That isn’t exactly the case, as Bottineau lost a couple strong players, just not to normal avenues.

“We lost a couple golfers, one moved away and one didn’t come out, but overall I think we’ll have a more mature, more experienced team,” said senior Taylor Parisien.

Parisien is one of two seniors and one of three returners with varsity experience. The others are top golfer and state-entrant Zack Monson and junior Philip Neubauer.

“I’m sure Zack (Monson) will probably go to state,” Bender said. “He’s gone each of the last three years, so Taylor (Parisien) and some others will have to step up.”

Some of those young players include freshmen Ethan Jensen, Austyn Lorenz, Levi Pollman and Jaden Strand, who will be battling with newcomer junior Garrett Pollman and others for spots on the tournament roster.

“We’re young and we only have a couple returning seniors in Zack and Taylor,” Bender said. “We have a lot of young kids that are going to have to step up and take spots.”

“It’s going to be a lot of work this year because we have a lot of young kids,” Bender added.

Parisien believes that work begins with practice, and that he and Monson, will have to lead the way.

“We just have to do whatever we can in practice to get them ready, because a lot of young kids are going to have to play a lot and step up this year,” Parisien said.

Parisien, Monson and Nebauer have all been up to Twin Oaks to get a few swings in on their simulator. This is something that Parisien believes might be a help.

“It will give us somewhat of an advantage in the long run, but nothing can be like being outside,” Parisien said. “Plus a lot of the guys in our region are just so naturally talented, they don’t even need to play.”

Parisien said the biggest thing beyond getting practice in is to be ready to go in their own heads.

“We just have to be prepared mentally and ready to go,” Parisien said. “It’s important that you can’t be nervous, and you have to be ready to play.”

The next tournament for both teams are scheduled on Thursday and Friday of this week in Underwood, but will likely be canceled due to weather.