2018 Lancer Golf Preview

Photo by Luke Hoffman

The Lancer Boys Varsity golf team lost the 2017 state tournament by three strokes to Blue Valley North last season, this year Lancers will focus on rebounding and winning it all.

“This year without question we should win state, in fact, I would be surprised if they don’t set some records,” Boys Golf head coach Evan Scobie said.

East will be returning with the same talented and experienced team they had last year, which should give them a pronounced advantage over the other high school teams in the area according to Coach Scobie.

“Tournament experience, in golf a lot of it is about shooting a good number, we know Thomas [Luger] will show up and play at a high level,” Scobie said. “We know Owen [Hill] is going play at a high level. Those guys will push the others to play their best and compete.”

The Lancers’ experience starts with seniors Thomas Luger, Joseph Brouillette, Max Maday and Owen Hill, who all played at state last year. East will also be returning junior Andy Scholz and sophomore Will Harding from last seasons state team —all six golfers from 2017 state team will be returning this spring.

This year the Lancers number one golfer will be Luger, a role that he took over the previous season when he replaced 2016 graduating senior Andy Spencer.

In 2017, Luger took the position in stride and proceeded to average a state-best 73.3 scoring average. He earned All-State and All-Sunflower League first-team, all while winning regionals for the second straight year and finishing as runner-up at the state tournament.

However, Luger still uses last year’s disappointing state performance as motivation for the upcoming season.

“Definitely I have thought about it a lot, when you are out on the course and it’s a little chilly or a little warm and you don’t want to be out there, that is what keeps me going,“ Luger said. “That is the reason I am here, I want to win both, I want to win it for the team.”

With Luger’s drive leading the Lancers, the other three seniors should make use of their experience to provide stability for the team throughout their quest to win state.

Hill has played varsity for four years while Brouillette and Maday have been on varsity for three years. Last year, Hill won the Hutchinson Invitational shooting a two under 69 and was also the runner-up at regionals. Brouillette’s best round last year was a 74 at state, which tied him for ninth place, and Maday’s best round was a 75 at the Lawrence Invitational.

Scobie believes that even though the Lancers have experience playing tournament golf, there will still be plenty of competition between his players, which should pressure his team to play their at best.

“We have some young guys that will push some of the older guys, Will Harding is a very good player and Andy Scholz is a very good player,” said Scobie.

Scholz and Harding will both seek to build upon their previous season. In 2017, Scholz recorded a 75 stroke low and placed second overall in the national Drive Chip & Putt competition in Augusta, GA. Meanwhile, Harding won the Shawnee Mission South Invitational tournament and also shot his lowest score, a 72, at Regionals.

The experience of all the returning players should give the Lancers the ability to beat even their toughest opponent, which should continue to be the team that beat them at state last year.

“Blue Valley North, it always seems that they just reload, they always have guys waiting in the bullpen. They should be our top competition,” Scobie said.

The Lancers will start their season with an unofficial tournament against Rockhurst High School on March 20. They won the Stateline Brawl last year, 11-5, and will look to repeat this year. East’s first official tournament will take place on March 26 at Lionsgate. There, they hope to start their campaign for their second state title in the last three years.