By BUTCH HARMON
After graduating three seniors last spring, including the number two individual at the 2012 Division 2 state final, the odds were against the DeWitt boys golf team continuing its streak of state finals appearances.
While the Panthers faced a uphill battle, the young team was able to overcome hurdles and make it back to the state finals for a sixth consecutive season.
DeWitt did more than just qualify for the Division 2 state finals, as it finished the season in a tie with Comstock Park for seventh place with a two-day score of 665. The Panthers shot 334 total on the first day of the tournament and then dropped three strokes off that score on the second day to post 331.
“We had a good year,” coach Dave Koenigsknecht said. “I was real pleased, because I was not sure we would make it back to the state finals. We lost three key seniors, and I was real happy that we qualified.”
Sophomore Owen Beyer, the Panthers’ team leader during the regular season, also led the way at the state meet. He carded 78 on the first day and came back with 80 on the second day to finish with a two-day total of 158, good enough for 10th place overall and all-state honors.
“Owen was our most consistent golfer all year,” Koenigsknecht said. “He almost always led us at 18-hole events and had the majority of the low scores at league meets.”
Junior Brandon Erickson finished strong at the state meet, as he recorded scores of 80 and 84 to finish with 164. Junior Cody White scored rounds of 87 and 86 for 173 total, while senior Trey DeLaat shot 81 on the final day of the tournament. Sophomore Courtland Nelson added rounds of 89 on both days to finish with 178.
DeWitt finished the league season in third place behind league champion Haslett and second-place St. Johns. At the regional tournament, the Panthers needed to finish in the top three to qualify for the state meet. Haslett, St. Johns, and CAAC Blue champion East Lansing were all at the regional, making the task a tough one for DeWitt. The Panthers, however, responded in a big way, as they not only qualified for state, but they also won the regional by one stroke.
“The regional was real strong,” Koenigsknecht said. “There were four real strong teams and one of us was not going to make it out. We played pretty well, and East Lansing had a bad day and we were able to beat them by one stroke.”
With the bulk of this year’s team due back next spring, the future looks bright for the DeWitt golfers.
“We are pretty young,” Koenigsknecht said. “We had three sophomores who played quite a bit. We have a good group of sophomores and a couple of juniors. We are looking forward to next year and hoping to be back here next year.”