All-Missota Conference honorable mention in 2011
The Tigers lost four seniors to graduation and another varsity letterwinner from 2011 is playing baseball this spring but coach Jon Holmes likes what he sees in his 2012 squad.
"We have a good group of kids that have been playing high school tournament golf for a few years now," he said. "Many of them have been at the varsity level and this is a big positive in golf since they know what to expect and will hit the course ready to play."
Holmes returns six monogram winners from last spring, including seniors Tommy May, Mitch Reed, Jake Hanson, Tony Lelani and Ryan Kelly and eighth-grader Eric Holmstrom.
May was the team's low-scorer last season and received all-Missota Conference honorable mention.
While the letterwinners and seniors Victor Simones and Josh Cordes should get first crack at the varsity lineup, Holmes is counting on one or more of the younger players to push them.
"This situation should be an incentive for the young players to step up," he said, "because there will be a changing of the guard next year."
Juniors Grant Hauswirth and Garrett Heidelberger and freshman Sam Newcomb are among the newcomers expected to make a run at varsity playing time.
Holmes said Chaska and Chanhassen are far and away the class of the Missota Conference this spring.
"Realistically, I'm not sure we can beat them," he said, "but we hope to be gunning for third or fourth place. That is an aggressive goal but one that I am confident we can accomplish if we give it our full attention. It's time for us to make a move up."
Lakeville North, the defending champion, figures to be the team to beat in the race for Section 1 honors.
Holmes will be assisted this spring by his father, Terry Holmes. Ryan Hamen will handle the middle school coaching chores.
The Tigers tee off their 2012 season Wednesday, Apr. 11, with a non-conference dual meet with Rosemount at Fountain Valley.
