Glenwood City golfers return to state meet ends with eighth-place finish
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THE GLENWOOD CITY boys’ golf team competed in the 2023 WIAA Division 3 state tournament which was held Monday and Tuesday, June 5 and 6 at Blackwolf Run – Meadow Valley Golf Course in Kohler. This was the second straight year that the Hilltopper golfers concluded their season by playing in the state tournament. The squad finished in eighth place with a two-day score of 786. Team members and coaches, pictured from left to right, are: Coach Randy Ketola, Charlie Lamb, Esdyn Swenby, Gabe Knops, Ben Wittmer, Ian Radintz, Landon Obermueller, and Coach David Popko. —photo by Chandra Lamb
KOHLER, WI — After their impressive and significant progress through the sectional tournament at Cadott via a playoff this year, the Glenwood City golf team made their second straight trip to state this last week.
The Hilltoppers boy’s team departed from Glenwood City on Sunday, June 4th to play a practice round at the internationally renowned and prestigious golf complex at Blackwolf Run – Meadow Valley Golf Course in Kohler, Wisconsin.
The next two days, Monday and Tuesday, June 5 and 6, were full of 36 holes of golf (18 holes each day) on a course unlike anything they played on this year to date. Thankfully, the veteran members of the team from last year (Gabe Knops, Ian Radintz, Charlie Lamb and Owen Swenby) were able to draw upon last year’s experiences on the links.
While Head Coach David Popko would go on to say a variety of things about the round, the end product was, “that it was an honor to represent Glenwood City and the entire northern part of the state in division three, being the only school north of 29 to make it as a team.”
The end product may not have been the year-over-year improvement the Hilltoppers were looking for, as they ended the two days worth of golf with a 786 total in 8th place – identical to their showing last year.
That all considered, there were a number of positives to take from the entire experience, as Popko was clear to point out, “last year the course was quite a bit easier because it had rained the two days leading up to the rounds. This year, it was mid eighties and sunny for two solid days of the three. This dried up the already very challenging greens. All things being equal, I thought we played like ourselves on the first day.”
TOPPER sophomore Esdyn Swenby watched his tee shot during Tuesday, June 6th play at the WIAA Division 3 state golf tournament at Blackwolf Run – Meadow Valley Golf Course in Kohler. Swenby finished the two-day state meet with a score of 204 which placed him 42nd in the final individual standings. Glenwood City finished eighth out of the eight teams competing for the state title with a score of 786.
—photo by Jacob Maes Photography
Indeed, the Hilltoppers scored close to their season average of 385 on the first day of competition, with senior Ian Radintz and sophomore Charlie Lamb carding team bests of 93. Esdyn Swenby shot a 100 on the first day, junior Ben Wittmer a 99, and senior Gabe Knops a 102.
Still, two days worth of golf in steady and exhausting sun cost the Toppers on the second day.
“We just were really tired from the previous days of golf. The boys did their absolute best and we really thought we had a very good chance at earning up to fifth. The greens just got faster and faster right as the boys were hitting a wall. I mean, it is six hours of walking in the sun per day! The end product just let us down a bit,” Popko pointed out.
Unfortunately, these rounds cost the team, with Charlie Lamb being the only athlete to improve on the second day with a score of 91. Ian Radintz posted a 98, Esdyn Swenby a 104, Ben Wittmer a 108, and Gabe Knops a 111.
The course conditions were tough for all the teams at state. Last year’s division three winners, Kohler, posted a 643 to win the tournament and this year’s state champion, Cambridge, won the same tournament with a 657. While this isn’t an excuse, Popko noted, it does speak to just how challenging the tournament is for teams playing at the state level, especially in challenging conditions.
The coaches, including assistant Randy Ketola, were quick to point out that the Glenwood City team has a lot of ground to cover before they could compete with the “top dogs.”
“If we are going to truly challenge for a state title, we have to believe it is possible. We have to have our athletes shooting about ten to twelve strokes better than they are across each 18 holes. That will be a lot to ask, but it isn’t impossible. Of course, I am in no way disappointed in our efforts. Rather, I spoke to the boys about turning what was a dream last year into a reality,” Popko said.
One note that Coach Popko and Coach Ketola spoke about at length was the shift from a dream of going to state and a reality of going.
“Last year, the boys were just thrilled to be there. Every moment was like they were the kids at Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. They were impressed with the hot dogs, calling them ‘the best they ever tasted.’ The bottled water they got was the best they every drank, etc.” If the team wants to continue setting their goals this high or higher, they will need to shed some of this mystique,” Popko noted.
“In the end, it is a very fancy golf course, but it is just a golf course. We have to treat it as such. It was an honor to be there. Still, if you are going to guard Michael Jordan, you can’t ask for his autograph simultaneously.”
The good news for the Toppers golf team is that, while they are graduating two seniors in Radintz and Knops and the coaches could not speak highly enough of their leadership, they have the bulk of the team back next year and a strong and experienced leadership group in Lamb, Swenby, and Wittmer. Also significant will be some
GLENWOOD CITY senior Ian Radintz hit this chip shot during the second day of competition, Tuesday, June 6, in the WIAA Division 3 golf state meet at Blackwolf Run – Meadow Valley Golf Course in Kohler. Radintz shot a 98 after carding a 93 in the first day of action to finish in a tie for 33rd place. As a team, Glenwood City finished in eighth place with a score of 786. —photo by Jacob Maes Photography
strong upcoming talent in incoming senior Jared Hager and sophomore Landon Obermueller as well as up and comers, Evie Radintz and Kaylin Brandt, both incoming sophomores.
Popko and Ketola pointed out a variety of positives, “our numbers for the team are the highest they have been in the last decade, we have a lot of developing talent, and phenomenal support from community parents and the school as well.”
The coaches profusely thanked the Knops, Lamb, Obermueller, Radintz, Swenby, and Wittmer families as well as the staff at Glenwood City high school for being patient with the boys’ absences, and resident golf guru Ron Johnson for being a wise and steady voice of support. Finally, Coach Popko made sure to thank Eric Holen for all he has done to support the boys with golf lessons when he can and the terrific participation from the Glen Hills golf course, specifically Todd Huffman and Slip Mahoney.
The Hilltoppers will return next year in the spring, but if there are girls looking to explore a team in the fall, they should express their interest to Coach Popko as there is a possibility of starting a girls’ golf team if there are enough athletes interested!
Additionally, Popko and Ketola will be running a summer camp from July 24-28 at Glen Hills. Contact the elementary school principal Betsy Haltinner for more information.