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Seven Wildcats are shooting for spots this year
HARTINGTON — Hartington-Newcastle golf coaches Mike Johnson and Ken Kneifl welcomed seven hopefuls to the golf team when practice started this spring.
Three of the hopefuls are returning letterwinners and the coaching duo welcomed three freshmen and a sophomore in addition to the three veterans.
Barrett Bruning, the lone senior on the team, joins junior Carter Kelly and sophomore, Austin Sudbeck, as the returning lettermen.
“We return three of the five top golfers from our state tournament qualifying team,” said Johnson. “We’re looking for the three of them to make improvements from last season and provide us with the leadership that we need.
All three of them had solid seasons for the Wildcats last year and the coaches are looking forward seeing them progress.
Sophomore Cell Martell along with freshmen, Kayne Gratzfeld, Grady Lammers and Alyx Zach will also be looking to carry a varsity bag this season.
“The four new guys should provide us with depth and help round out our top five for varsity,” the coach said.
The Wildcats open the season March 31 at the West Point-Beemer Invitational at Indian Trails in Beemer.
A quadrangular at Creighton and a home triangular will open April on the 7th and 8th respectively then three invitationals at Laurel, O’Neill and Osmond followed by their own invite will finish up the month.
May will open with a triangular at home on May, the Pierce Invitational on May 3 and the first-ever Greater Northeast Activities Conference Tournament at Summerland Golf Course on May 6.
The Randolph Invite will close out the regular season on May 12.
Hartington-Newcastle will travel to Leigh for districts at Club 91 on May 19 with the Class D State Golf Tournament scheduled for May 28 and 29 at Quail Run Golf Course in Columbus.
“We’re expecting to be a competitive team once again this year,” said Johnson. “We have a goal of returning to the state golf tournament as a team for the fourth time in the last five years.”
