By BUTCH HARMON
Led by one of the premier golfers in the state, the Okemos girls golf team is off to another sizzling start this season. The Chieftains passed the midway mark of the season ranked No. 2 in the state in Division 2.
“We’re off to a pretty good start,” coach Dan Stolz said. “We have won every event we competed in this season except for two. In one tournament we finished second, two strokes behind, and in the 16-team Holt Invitational, we also finished two strokes behind.”
Okemos opened conference play by winning every event in which it participated. The Chieftains also won the Brighton, Mason, and Lakewood invitationals.
Elle Nichols, a senior, has been pacing the squad this season. After winning the Division 2 individual state title as a sophomore and as a junior, she is looking strong in her attempt to make it three in a row.
“Elle is just having an outstanding season,” Stolz said. “I think she is the best player in the state. She has won two individual state titles, and this year she is hoping to make it three. She has her average under 70 now at 69.9.”
Along with winning state titles, Nichols has been shaving strokes off her average each season.
“The amazing thing about Elle is how she drops strokes off her average each year. From her freshman to sophomore season she dropped five strokes. Last year from her sophomore to her junior year she dropped almost five more strokes. This year she is not quite at five strokes. She had a 73.8 average last year and this year it’s at 69.9. She has been one of the top eight players in the state the last two years, and to drop off almost five strokes a year is pretty amazing. She works hard to keep improving her game.”
Nichols has already settled on her destination after high school, as she will be continuing her golf career at Oakland University next season.
The Chieftains, however, are far from a one-person team. Along with Nichols, Okemos has some solid young players.
“The reason we are as solid as we are this season is that we have some younger kids who have worked really hard to become better players. They are scoring better this year, and that makes us a deeper team.”
Following Nichols in the lineup is Sydney Williams, who has a nine-hole average of 42.3. Sophomore Jessica King is averaging 43.9 for nine holes.
“Sydney has really been doing well this year,” Stolz said. “Jessica is another girl who has really come on. She shot an 81 at the Holt Invitational to finish in the top ten. Macy Dahnke is also playing well. In her last four rounds she averaged 44. Senior Carly Bullock is also playing well. We have got some kids who are shooting some good, solid numbers this year.”
With Nichols leading the way and a solid supporting cast, Okemos is primed to make a charge in the Division 2 state tournament.
“We think we can be right there at the end,” Stolz said. “What we see in the other teams across the state in our division, we think we can compete with all these teams and be right in the hunt. We just have to play well and all pull together.”