Led by a quality group of underclassmen, Harper Creek girls golf still finding success and ranked in the state.
BATTLE CREEK - The facts didn't sound too promising.
Harper Creek won its league last year, but came into this season having lost two of its top three golfers, statistically, to graduation.
And, the Beavers were left with a starting group that would include all sophomores and freshmen.
Despite that, Harper Creek figured on taking a swing at another Interstate 8 Conference title this year, and maybe doing a little bit more.
That plan seems to be working.
Harper Creek clinched its second straight Interstate 8 Conference girls golf championship as league play was completed last week with a group of underclassmen leading the way.
MORE:Battle Creek Enquirer-area high school sports top performers for Sept. 22-27
And now, the Beavers, ranked No. 4 in the state in Division 3, are hoping to qualify as a team for the state championships for the first time since 2021 as they prepare for the upcoming regionals.
"I thought we would have some growing pains, knowing what we had coming back and what we had lost," said Harper Creek girls coach Jason Knickerbocker. "But then, we went out and won our first tournament this year and we said this might work. Some of our freshmen stepped in right away and played some really good golf.
"I don't think we thought it would be this easy, but they got better and better all season and it all came together."
Harper Creek had lost two all-league golfers from a year ago. However, with the new group, the Beavers ran away with the league title, dominating the season-long schedule of jamborees. Sophomore Haley Willi and freshman Ella Bushman finished as the top two golfers in the league with a scoring average of 42.5.
"I knew we were going to have some really good golfers coming, so I was hoping that was going to help us keep things going for us after last year," Willi said. "We won league. Now, it would be awesome to get to states this year. Last year, we thought we had a chance and it didn't happen."
Girls golf regionals for the MHSAA are scheduled for Oct. 6-11. Harper Creek, which was Division 2 last season, has dropped down to Division 3 and will be at Forest Akers East on the campus of Michigan State University on Oct. 8.
The Beavers will need a team effort to advance out of regionals and get to the state meet, scheduled for Oct. 17-18 at Forest Akers West. The last time Harper Creek won a regional title in girls golf was in 2001.
"We are Division 3 this year and we have already beaten most of the teams we will see in regionals, so that should give us confidence," Knickerbocker said.
Also in Harper Creek's regional is No. 9-ranked Otsego as well as local rival Marshall.
Beyond the two co-medalist in the Interstate 8 Conference, Harper Creek has had solid play all season from the complete playing group, including Braylee Stanley, Audrey Flanders, Adeline Higgs and Audrey Hantz.
Many of those young players have been groomed to have success at this level.
"The program is real healthy right now," Knickerbocker said. "A big part of it is the help we get from Tony Evans, who does the junior program here at Binder (Park Golf Course). I have helped him with that here and there and we've had a steady run of junior players who have come up to play high school in boys and girls and see success early. That's a big part of this."
Bushman is a product of that as well.
"We all know each other from when we played together as juniors and we all try to make each other better," Bushman said. "Now, we are coming up together and helping the high school team."
MORE REGIONAL GIRLS GOLF
Lakeview will be at the Division 1 regional, at the Muskegon Country Club. That regional also includes No. 4-ranked Byron Center, No. 2 Rockford and No. 7 Portage Central.
No. 6-ranked Gull Lake will be at a Division 2 regional at Island Hills Golf Course, along with No. 3 Forest Hills Central, No. 5 Lowell and No. 7 St. Joseph.
REGIONAL BOYS TENNIS
The MHSAA boys tennis regionals are scheduled for Oct. 8-11 at various sites.
Lakeview and Battle Creek Central will be at the Division 2 regional, hosted by Dexter High School, which will also include No. 6-ranked Portage Central.
Marshall will host a Division 3 regional, which will include local teams Harper Creek, Coldwater and Gull Lake.
Pennfield will be at a Division 4 regional at Allegan.
Bill Broderick can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X/Twitter: @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Harper Creek girls golf wins league title, looks ahead to regionals
Category: General Sports
