After winning the OK Red Conference title with an unbeaten conference dual record last spring, the Rockford boy’s golf team is on pace to complete a repeat performance.
Rockford opened the 2012 conference golf season by turning in an unbeaten record through the first half of the season.
The Rams then demonstrated how strong a team they have when they captured the OK Red Conference midseason tournament by 32 strokes.
On a cold and chilly day, the Rams broke the 300 mark with a score of 299. Grandville finished second with a 331 followed by East Kentwood (334), Grand Haven (339), West Ottawa (347), Jenison (347) and Hudsonville (353).
“For us to break 300, I’m extremely happy,” Rockford coach Eric Cullum said. “To break 300 on a firm golf course and with that much weather, I’m very happy.”
The Rams benefited from low scores up and down the lineup. Steven Mette captured medalist honors with a 72 while AJ Verekois was a stroke behind in second with a 73. Jake Stephan and David Anderson both carded 77s to round out the scoring while Justin Ullrey and Joel Pietila both shot 80s.
Rockford reached the midseason tournament with a perfect 6-0 record in the first half of the conference dual season and winning the midseason tournament put the Rams in a strong position heading into the second half of the season.
“We’re well positioned in the conference,” Cullum said. “We’ve been really working hard. On a day like today you just want to concentrate on the little things. You can’t come into the day thinking about a certain number or certain score. This was a big step for us.”
While the Rams have been posting some low numbers throughout the season, the big goal is a deep run in the state tokurnament.
“To get where we want to go (state tournament), we have to hit a couple of home runs in the regionals,” Cullum said. “The key to our success will be playing the game the right way.”
The Rams entered the season with high hopes led by sMette, Ullrey and Stephan who all earned all-conference honors as juniors.
“Our team is very deep with five more very good players to support our No. 1 and No. 2 players,” Cullum said. “Justin Ullrey, Jake Stephan and David Anderson have all contributed top-10 finishes in 18-hole tournaments this spring, as well as our freshman, Joel Pietila.”