FREMONT – Better late than never.
In its last match of the season, after several near-misses, the Ross boys golf team can finally put a check next to one of its most sought-after team goals. The Little Giants finally got four scores in the 40s on a nine-hole round on its way to a team score of 186 at the Fremont Country Club against Genoa.
Cole Druckenmiller, boys golf
All season Ross has been entering tournaments and matches knowing its chances of placing high or winning were slim. So the Little Giants had to content themselves with showing steady improvement and achieving team and individual goals. To finally reach four scores in the 40s on the last night of the regular season, is a fitting close to the year.
“They’ve improved so much,” coach Jim Scharer said. “And it’s been consistent lately, shooting 190, 191, 188, 186. We’re not even close to 200 anymore.
“You’ve got to accept where you’re at and where we’re at is 28 shots better than we were at the start of the year.”
Cole Druckenmiller led the way for the Little Giants, shooting a 43.
“He really strikes the ball well,” Scharer said of Druckenmiller. “On No. 8, about 160-yard Par, 3, he hit the ball about 12 feet away and hit the birdie putt. It was the first birdie of his life and he was very excited about that.
“Then he hit two great shots on 9 then he three-putted or he would have shot 42, which would have been the lowest round of anybody on our team this year. He’s really striking the ball well.”
Zane Rousch and Braxton White both shot 47 while Dylan Genzman, a senior playing his last event at the Fremont County Club, carded a 49 in his final round to clinch the Little Giants’ goal.
Zane Rusch, boys golf
Braxton White, boys golf
Rousch and White continued their strong string of recent play as both shot 44 Monday.
“You’ve got to set realistic goals for the kids and I’m really pleased with where we’re at,” Scharer said. “We still don’t putt the ball well enough and we’ll work on that tomorrow.
“I’m looking forward to next year. We have three solid kids in the 44 to 47 range, then we have to find that fourth score. Then we should be able to come in at 170.”
While the sectional tournament looms next Tuesday at Stone Ridge, the golf program will be saying farewell to its two seniors, Genzman and Owen Smith.
“Pound for pound (Genzman) hits the ball further than anybody in Northwest Ohio, I’ll tell you that right now,” Scharer said. “For as much as he weighs, he hits it further than anybody I saw.
Dylan Genzman, boys golf
Owen Smith, boys golf
“There is not a better kid alive than Owen Smith. I had so much fun coaching him for two years, I really wish kids in Fremont would come out as freshmen to give themselves a chance, like Cole and Zane.
“Owen came out as a junior last year and improved greatly. He is a fine young man, no doubt about it.”
With the sectional tournament still to be played, Scharer has one more goal for his team to achieve, and is dangling a reward for doing so.
“I want to shoot 400, which I think we can do,” he said. “I promised the kids I’d buy them dinner. We’ll see what happens.”