Practicing the short game
The Eagles enter the spring season ranked seventh in the nation
The Kirkwood golf team ended the fall on a high note and is poised to continue in 2013 with similar success. The squad finished in the top five of every tournament they played in, building momentum for this spring. With that impressive showing came the accolades in the form of a top 10 national ranking.
This success isn’t something that just happened overnight. In addition to the high ranking at the tail end of the year, the team had already shown it knew how to win after the 2011-2012 season. Kirkwood won the Region Championship and finished with a phenomenal overall record. Head Coach Darin Pint was pleased with the results.
“I think a ninth place national finish was nice,” said Pint. “But to win the region and finish with an overall record of 82-13, I would say it was a very good year.”
Sean Cleary (Tipperary, Ireland) and Mitch Jacobi (Belle Plaine) have established themselves as the veteran leaders of the team. However, according to Pint, there is a good group of freshman players that excelled on the golf course in high school. He looks to see contributions from Brian Schreck who played at Carroll Kuemper High School in Carroll, Iowa, as well as other local talent. Logan Baburek (Belle Plaine,) Kyle Jackson (North Cedar) and Sheldon Gryp (HLV) are all local players ready to hit the links for Kirkwood this spring.
“Expectations are high,” said Pint. “With three returning national qualifiers back and a number of good players to push for playing time, I feel good about what this team can accomplish this year. We have to continue to work and play hard, but more importantly play for each other. If we do that then I’m sure good things will happen this year.”
Kirkwood opens the spring portion of the schedule March 24-25 with the Kirkwood Community College Classic at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion.