Men's Golf Season Preview/Review
2008-09 Season Preview
The men’s golf team is anticipating an exciting year with the return of 5 sophomores who gained a great deal of experience last season and the addition of 6 freshmen who have a long list of golfing accomplishments.
The Sasquatch return sophomore, Jonathan Lumper, who as a freshman, established himself as one of the top players in the NWAACC while earning Eastern Region All-Star honors. Jordan Reeder has the experience of winning a college golf tournament the previous spring and is looking to build off of an outstanding summer of golf. Matthew Strandberg was counted on many times last season and produced a third place finish is his first ever college golf tournament at the Centralia College Invitational. Todd Strate was voted the team’s most improved player last season and he earned that by his strong finish during the spring season and his 1-under par round during the final round of the NWAACC Championships. Returner Robert Lane will once again be called upon to supply depth and leadership to the team. He came through with many counting scores when the team needed them the most last season.
“The addition of the freshman class and the experience of the sophomores will make us a contender at every tournament we play in,” commented Coach Kramer. Corey Meyers (Deer Park High School) has been one of the top golfers in Eastern Washington over the past few years, both in high school and WJGA play. He won many of the area high school invitationals his senior season. Coeur d’ Alene High School graduates, Kyler Gable, Tyler Johnson and Taylor Porter were three of the top golfers in the state of Idaho over the past few high school seasons. They dominated the local tournaments as Idaho and Washington junior golfers and as a team, won many area high school tournaments. Each of the three had scoring averages near par and will be counted on to contribute right away. Sam Krause is joining the team from White Fish, Montana, where he was a high school state champion during his junior season and a contender as a senior. “Sam’s playing resume is very impressive and he has been a top player in his state for many years,” said Coach Kramer. Jason Molner is joining the Sasquatch from Longview where he was a member of a very successful Mark Morris High School program over his four years. He has been a consistent force, with many top finishes in WJGA and high school play. Coach Kramer said, “The combination of an 11-man roster and the skill of all of the players are going to make qualifying very competitive. As a coach, that is exactly what you want. It forces the players to focus each day in practice and competition brings out the best in a golfer.”
The fall season is filled with four great tournaments. The Sasquatch kick off the year with the Spokane Cup against Gonzaga and Whitworth University on September 26 at Hangman Valley. The Walla Walla CC Invitational on October 12-13 will have all of the NWAACC teams competing and will be a good test for everyone to see how they will match up. The fall season is completed with the Central Washington University Invitational and the Columbia Basin Invitational on October 20-21 and 26-27.