Topper golfers take second in season opener
SPRING VALLEY — Two years removed from its last competition and with several inexperience players, the Glenwood City golf team placed second in the 2021 season and Dunn-St. Croix opener held at Spring Valley Golf Course last Thursday, April 22.
The Hilltoppers shot a 224 (the score is the tally of the team’s top four scores) in the five-team meet to take second but finished 49 strokes behind a powerful Durand squad that shot a 175.
Glenwood City was led by sophomore Gabe Knops who shot a low score of 50 in the varsity competition. The team’s lone upperclassman, junior Owen Swenby, finished with a 51 which was followed by sophomore Ian Radintz’ 53. Freshman Ben Wittmer finished off the team’s scoring with a 70 in the nine-hole meet. Another freshman, Connor Berends, shot a 79 to complete the five-man varsity team.
Durand easily won the meet with the aforementioned low total of 175 as the top four individuals finishes all went to Panther golfers. Durand’s Charlie Brenner took medalist honors with a score of 40 in the nine-hole meet. Teammates Dawson Kurth (42), Caden Berger (45) and Simon Bauer (48) followed to complete the team’s scoring.
Mondovi and Colfax/Elk Mound were third and fourth with a 237 and 240, respectively. Host Spring Valley had an incomplete score as it fielded just three golfers
On the junior varsity side, Durand again took top honors shooting a 238 while Colfax/Elk Mound came in second with a 250. Glenwood City, Mondovi and Spring Valley did not register scores as their JVs had only three, two and one golfer, respectively.
Lewis Swanepoel topped the Glenwood City junior varsity results with an 80 followed Jared Hager with an 82 and Damian Schervington with an 84.
The team also competed in the two-day Western Wisconsin Invitational held at both the Spring Valley and Hammond Golf Courses on Friday and Saturday, April 23 and 24. Opting for just one day of tournament action, Glenwood City’s varsity squad played 18 holes at Hammond on Friday and finished with a team tally of 434. Ian Radintz was the lone Topper to finished with a sub-100 score, hitting for 96 which included a 47 on the front nine and a 49 on the back nine. Owen Swenby carded a 105 on the Hammond course with a tight 52 and 53 on the front and back nines. Gabe Knops and Ben Wittmer shot a 116 (56/60) and 117 (66/51), respectively, while Connor Berends rounded out the team’s individual scores with a 165.
Meanwhile the junior varsity trio of Jared Hager, Lewis Swanepoel and Damian Schervington played a round of 18 holes at the home course at Glen Hills Friday afternoon. Hager shot a 129 (64/65), Schervington had a 143 (71/72) and Swanepoel, who played just nine holes, finished with a 68.
Glenwood City played the Valley Golf Course in Mondovi this past Monday, April 26 and will travel to Durand’s Rolling Greens GC this Thursday, April 29. Both are D-SC meets. The Toppers will then play another D-SC competition at Whitetail Golf Course next Monday, May 3.