ARGYLE - Argyle-Pecatonica boys golf coach Chris Holcomb remains confident this could be a special season during which his team breaks through to the WIAA Division 3 state tournament.

"As a team our goal is to make it to state because we have never done that before," Holcomb said.

Argyle-Pecatonica finished second in the WIAA Division 3 Mineral Point regional last year to qualify for the sectional. Argyle-Pecatonica senior Matthew Amorose finished 18th at the sectional after carding an 85. Amorose, who was a state qualifier as a sophomore, will be the No. 1 golfer for the Oriole-Vikings.

Argyle-Pecatonica placed second in the Southwest Activities League last season behind conference champion Mineral Point.

"I know Mineral Point lost some key players, and Barneveld's No. 1 player, Matthew Myers, is having shoulder surgery," Holcomb said. "I expect it to be a dogfight between Mineral Point and Argyle(-Pecatonica for the conference title). I'm very confident in this team."

Argyle-Pecatonica junior Dylan Stietz finished 13th in the regional and tied teammate Mason Holcomb for 39th in the sectional last season. Both Stietz and Holcomb give the Oriole-Vikings three golfers who can shoot scores in the 40s in a nine-hole match.

Holcomb said Amorose, who is entering the Marine Corps after he graduates, battled consistency issues last year.

"He really struggled with his focus last year," Holcomb said of Amorose. "He's very focused on golf right now. He's hitting the ball pretty good."

A newcomer who could contribute right away is junior Alex Ryser, who played baseball last year.

Holcomb said Ryser has already shot in the mid 40s in nine-hole practice rounds.

"That is encouraging," Holcomb said. "He's a good athlete. If I can get four guys to shoot low 40s then we will win a lot of matches."

Two others who will contend to be the fifth golfer on varsity are sophomore Jeff Saether and freshman Ben Figi.

"The first week I just want them to get out on the course and play and get their feet under them after a long winter," Holcomb said. "Then we will focus on fundamentals."

Argyle-Pecatonica has made a run to the sectional tournament four straight years. If the team will extend that streak it may come down to the fifth golfer. Holcomb said the No. 5 golfer is the question mark this season.

"It's always that way in small high school golf," he said. "We are coming into our first batch of kids who have played at Yellowstone. That is why I feel like we are having success. It seems like there is more enthusiasm for youth golf."



DARLINGTON

DARLINGTON - The Darlington boys golf team returns two golfers who finished in the top 30 in the Division 3 Mineral Point regional last year. Darlington junior Brogen Evenstad finished 21st by shooting an 89 and junior Seth Johnson took 27th (91).

Both Evenstad and Johnson finished in the top 20 in the SWAL season last year. Johnson averaged a 42 for nine holes, and Evenstad averaged a 43.

"We return two solid golfers from last year, and the rest of the team will be made up of underclassmen," Darlington coach Rich Westerman said.

The Redbirds will be looking for Roelli and Carper to make a jump in improvement after both averaged a 60 last season for nine holes.

The Redbirds finished eighth in the SWAL last year. Mineral Point is looking to repeat as conference champions but will be challenged by Argyle-Pecatonica.

"The conference is well balanced at the top," Westerman said. "Three to four teams will contend. The other teams will try to improve enough to get into the top four."