BOYS GOLF PREVIEW: Falcon golfers seek county repeat

Westosha returns senior Polick, strong sophomores

By Jason Arndt
Editor

Jack Polick

A year ago, the Westosha Central High School boys golf team not only made its first WIAA Division 1 state appearance since 2011, the Falcons also won the Kenosha County meet.

For coach Mark Olsen, whose team qualified for the state meet on a sectional tiebreaker, he hopes to see the squad replicate its performance.

“We hope to repeat as Kenosha County Champs, and we hope to return to the State Tournament,” he said.

The Falcons placed 15th of 16 teams in the state meet held at University Ridge Golf Course in Verona.

Westosha Central, which finished second to Lake Geneva Badger in the final Southern Lakes Conference standings, returns three of five players from the state qualifying team.

Along with sophomore Paul Lynch, named to the second team last year, the Falcons welcome back senior Jack Polick and sophomore Gavin Goldstein.

“Jack Polick, Paul Lynch and Gavin Goldstein are all very good players,” Olsen said. “They will provide the leadership and drive to help us be successful.”

As freshmen, Lynch finished second at the Franklin sectional with a 4-over par score of 76, and Goldstein notched 11th at 83.

The Falcons forced a tiebreaker with Franklin and secured their state appearance in the first playoff hole by a score of 15-17 to take second at the meet held at Oakwood Park.

Entering the season, Lynch is ranked fifth and Goldstein is No. 19 among sophomores in the state, according to Olsen.

Polick, an SLC honorable mention selection last season, and both sophomores give Olsen reasons for optimism.

“We expect to be a very strong and competitive team,” he said.

The team will be without departing seniors Zach Kramer and Bailey Menarek, however, but they will look to two juniors to fill the lineup holes.

The juniors are Trent Stueber and Bryce Drier.

In conference play, Olsen sees Lake Geneva Badger as the key opponent standing in the way of Westosha Central notching a championship.

Last year, the Badgers finished with five points in the final standings, seven points ahead of the Falcons.

“Lake Geneva Badger should be the favorite,” Olsen said. “We hope to challenge them at some point in the season.”

The Falcons first two meets of the season were postponed because of inclement weather, including an April 5 opener against Westosha Central, Elkhorn, Union Grove and Waterford.


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