By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
It's been nearly two years since Washburn Rural's boys golf team has been in action due to COVID-19, but Rural still returns a solid nucleus of experienced players, which could bode well for Jared Goehring's Junior Blues this spring.
Washburn Rural graduated city champ Hayden Beck, now at Washburn, from its 2019 team, but the rest of the Junior Blues return.
"We have a very strong junior class with Luke Leonetti, Giles Frederickson and Turner Depperschmidt, and Reid Hughes and Tyler Higgins are back as seniors and all of those guys have plenty of experience playing tournament golf and postseason golf,'' Goehring said.
"We expect to hit the ground running from Day 1 because I know a lot of these guys have been itching, as has everyone who had last year canceled.''
Washburn Rural golf coach Jared Goehring talks to his team before a preseason practice. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hughes, Higgins, Frederickson, Leonetti and Depperschmidt all saw varsity action for Rural's Class 6A state tournament team in '19 and are joined by a large group of returning players who could challenge for time this season, incuding seniors Cole Kucera, Landon Bradstreet and Nibi Kulkarni and juniors Gabe Kastner, Maddox Hight, Joe Morse and Luke Rothfuss.
Top newcomers including sophomores Ty Stead, Jack Bachelor, Andrew Burdett, Brady Conard and Bryan Tyrell and freshmen Cam Zimlich and Hayden Glynn.
"These guys put in a lot of time in the offseason,'' Goehring said. "Now the whole competitive thing, that's a different story as far as getting out and competing with each other. That's what we really can't wait to do is get out and compete.''
Washburn Rural, a traditional city and Class 6A power, also has plenty of motivation entering the year after not getting a chance to mount a bid for a state title a year ago.
"We had a pretty good shot,'' Goehring said. "We only had one week of practice, but we knew going in, with Hayden's leadership, he was going to take us as far as we could get and we had guys with good experience in supportive roles, so we could have had a legitimate shot.''
Washburn Rural is scheduled to open its season on Wednesday in the Shawnee Mission East Invitational at Shoal Creek in the Kansas City area.
The Junior Blues will host their invitational tournament on April 8 at Wamego Country Club.
Other city teams at a glance:
Hayden -- The Wildcats begin their first season with Mac McFarland as the head coach. McFarland will build this year's team around several varsity newcomers.
The Wildcats are scheduled to open the 2021 season on April 5 in the Piper Invitational at Dub's Dread in the Kansas City area.
Seaman -- Rick Rineberg's Vikings return seniors Reid Cowan and Josiah Farrant as Seaman shoots for its first Class 5A state team berth since 2017.
Top newcomers include juniors Tim Biggs, Jake Moss and Gavin Wilhelm.
"The Viking golf team is looking forward to getting to compete this spring after last year was canceled,'' Rineberg said. "We were lucky that no seniors were out last year, so no one missed out on their last season. We will be a relatively young team this year, without a ton of varsity experience, so each tournament will be a growing experience. Our goal is to improve each tournament and be competitive come postseason time.''
Seaman is scheduled to open its season on April 5 in the Salina Central Invitational.
Shawnee Heights -- Seniors Ethan Rottinghaus, Tyler Peterson and Kyler Ortiz return for Shawnee Heights coach Jason Swift while top newcomers include Alex Valdivia and Aiden Jones.
"We have some varsity tournament experience with our seniors,'' Swift said. "Alex Valdivia has a great chance to make some noise in the city and (Class 5A) state this spring. Our goal is to make state as a team. They have been working hard and they bring the passion for golf with them each day.''
The T-Birds are scheduled to open their season on April 6 in the Blue Valley North Invitational at the Country Club of Leawood.
Topeka High -- Trojan coach Ryan Nelson begins the 2021 season short on numbers, building the team around four players -- juniors Deandre Hicks and TaRon Graham and sophomores Reymond Labrador-Perez and Tomaro Jones.
Topeka High is scheduled to open its season on April 5 in the Salina Central Invitational.
Topeka West -- Veteran West coach Richard Mariani will build this spring's team around senior Jacob Jachens as well as junior Austin Schimmel, sophomore Chase Ford and freshmen Myles Alonzo and Brodie Breckenridge.
"Three senior letter-winners graduated at semester, so the Chargers will begin the season very young and inexperienced,'' Mariani said. "We will be led by senior Jacob Jachens and freshman Myles Alonzo, who both had good summers in 2020. They will be joined by first-year players Chase Ford, Austin Schimmel and Brodie Breckenridge. The Chargers will look to gain experience throughout the season.''
Topeka West is slated to open its season in the Washburn Rural Invitational on April 8 in Wamego.
