State title is next goal

The Journal Sentinel staff

The confidence is running high among the boys golfers at Mequon Homestead.

And with good reason.

The Highlanders return a solid group of golfers from the team that placed fourth last year at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 state meet with a combined score of 651. Lake Geneva Badger won the meet easily with a score of 627.

And the Highlanders, whose second-place finish at the state meet in 1985 was the school's highest ever, return a solid group of younger players that should give the program a sense of stability for the next few years.

Steve O'Brien, the first-year coach who has been part of the program for the past two years, knows the expectations are high. Some anticipate the school winning its first state title.

"No question," said O'Brien, whose program numbers 60 golfers. "But we're trying to keep that pretty quiet. But they (the Highlanders) are confident in their abilities."

Leading the way is junior Jonas Bradley, whose 154 total at the state meet a year ago was just two shots off the winning total of 152 by Whitnall's Mike Leg 1 ends here Johnson. Johnson won the title in a playoff.

Seniors Andy Grogan and Bryan Thomas bring along solid senior leadership to Homestead.

"But it's not only the talent at the upper levels," O'Brien said. "There's talent at the lower levels, too."

Those golfers include talented underclassmen Jeff Kinnel and Mich Leske, both sophomores, and freshman Nick Baackes.

Even with the returning talent, O'Brien still sees room for improvement.

"Biggest thing is to work on the mental toughness," O'Brien said. "The swings are there. Now it's gaining composure."

Memorial tops in WISAA: Waukesha Catholic Memorial, led by senior Jim Boedecker, won the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association state title last year and returns as the favorite to win the title. La Crosse Aquinas junior Jeff Connell, the medalist last year, also returns to defend his title. Another private schools player to watch is Greendale Martin Luther junior Edvins Erkmanis, who had a solid sophomore season that included the medalist honors at the 17-team Madison Edgewood Invitational.

National power: Madison West's 14 state team titles rank sixth in the nation. Sioux Falls Washington (South Dakota) leads with 19.

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