Bluejays return plenty of experience on the links

The Three Lakes-Phelps varsity golf team will lean on plenty of experience as three returning all-conference golfers are on this year’s roster when the team hits the links later this month to start the season, plus a pair that just missed all-conference recognition.

Senior Grayson Polcaster was a first-team all-NLC selection last season, while Levi Lurvey and Sean Wallschlaeger were second-team honorees last season. The Bluejays were close to having five all-conference players, but Matthew Klein and Jack Westfall just missed the cut.

Head Coach Michele Brown is back for another season as the head of the golf program. Polcaster will shoot for the top golfer honors in the conference after finishing in second last season. He finished in the top five at every meet, including the NLC championship at Bass Lake at the end of the year. He broke 80 multiple times and shot 76 at the conference meet. He was also three strokes shy of advancing to the state tournament as an individual.

Lurvey is another senior golfer that Brown is excited to have back. At the end of last year, Brown said Lurvey should move up to be a first-team talent this year for the Bluejays. He had a few highlight rounds of 79 and 83 last season.
Wallschlaeger made his presence known as a freshman last year, earning all-conference honors. He had a few rounds in the 80s, and Brown said he was composed all season, for being a first-year varsity player.

Klein and Westfall should also be potential all-conference players this season in the NLC.

Brown said junior Owen Liebscher and freshman Trenton Peterson add depth to the potential pool of players who are fighting for playing time on varsity. She said she is excited to see the type of competitive practices there will be.

“I believe this group is one of the most talented overall teams we’ve had in quite a number of years,” stated Brown. “I’m looking for some very competitive practices and each guy pushing one another for playing time. Every one of them will need to step up their game.”

With the kind of experience and scoring the Bluejays have back this season, the team has its sights set on winning a regional championship. Last year, the Bluejays advanced to sectionals after a second-place finish in regionals.

“We have a conference championship in mind and also a regional championship,” explained Brown. “I honestly think this team has the talent and the ability to make a run at qualifying for state. Each of the kids believe this, too. They’ve all had the experience of playing in big games in other sports, so hopefully that will help us in those tight matches and give us an edge over our opponents. It should be a very exciting year for our golf team.”

Three Lakes-Phelps start the season on Monday, April 27, at an Invite at Greenwood Hills Country Club. Tee times start at 10 a.m. The first NLC meet this season is at Nicolet Country Club in Laona on Tuesday, May 5, at 2 p.m.