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HARTINGTON — Co-head golf coaches Mike Johnson and Ken Kneifl of Hartington-Newcastle are looking for this year’s edition of the Wildcats to improve on last year’s state-qualifying team, which lost three players to graduation.
Dayton Sudbeck and Riley Sudbeck have been on two state-qualifying teams after playing for the Hartington-Newcastle varsity since they were freshmen, and they return for their senior campaigns in 2024.
“We’re expecting big things from Dayton and Riley,” Johnson said. “They have a lot of varsity experience and we expect them to be the leaders of this team.”
Returning letter winner Carter Kelly will join the Sudbecks, Johnson and Kneifl as the nucleus of a team that should be more than competitive this season.
“Carter received some valuable varsity experience last year,” Johnson said. “We’re looking forward to seeing him continue to improve.”
Low numbers could be a problem as the Wildcats have only five players on the team, but what the squad lacks in quantity, Johnson hopes it will make up forrr in quality.
Barrett Bruning and Austin Sudbeck will join the other three golfers for this year’s varsity.
“Barrett has been on the JV team the past two seasons and has (had) a nice spring so far and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do at a varsity golf meet,” Johnson said. “Austin is a freshman and hasn’t played a lot of golf, but he’s been working hard in practice and we expect him to continue to improve.”
The Wildcats first three outings did not go off as planned because of the weather.
Hartington-Newcastle’s first tournament will now be the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Invitational on April 11 at Cedar View Country Club in Laurel.
The O’Neill Invitational follows on April 18 before the Osmond Invitational at Rolling Hills Country Club near Wausa on April 20.
The Wildcats host their own invitational on April 23 and then head back to Cedar View for a triangular with the Bears and Ponca on April 25.
The Pierce Invitational is set for April 27 and then the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament will be played on April 29 in Randolph.
Hartington-Newcastle will finish the regular season back in Randolph for the Cardinals’ own invitational on May 6 before hosting the D-2 District Meet on May 13.
Bancroft-Rosalie, Bloomfield, Creighton, Guardian Angels Central Catholic, Homer, Howells-Dodge, Humphrey St. Francis, Humphrey/ Lindsay Holy Family, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, Osmond, Plainview, Randolph, Santee, Wausa and Wisner- Pilger are tabbed to be in the D-2 District along with the Wildcats.
“We expect to be competitive again this season,” Johnson said. “We need to continue to improve around the greens and get more consistent off of the tee box in order to shoot low scores. Our district will be difficult, but we expect to compete for one of the top three (spots) and make a return trip to State.”
The Class D State Golf Championships are slated for May 21-22 at Lake Maloney Golf Club in North Platte.
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