A look at what to expect from the upcoming season of boys’ high-school golf

Boone High School’s Justin Davis

Apopka Blue Darters

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Blue Darters will return just two key golfers from 2016: senior Richard DeShetler and sophomore Sawyer Chang. DeShetler shot an 89 at last year’s 3A-5 district meet, and Chang recorded an 84.

OUTLOOK: Under the tutelage of Coach Donald Cary, Apopka finished second at 2016’s district championship, but none of their players qualified for the Region 1 tournament. As he continues to develop, Chang could have a big impact on their fortunes going forward, but in the meantime, he and DeShetler will need some immediate improvement as they help mentor newcomers.

Boone Braves

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Coach Todd Gregory says key returning players will include seniors Nick Bessire and Mason Toben, plus junior Justin Davis. Bessire is a threetime District 3A-6 individual champion, 2016 East Metro individual champion and three-time All-Metro Conference Team selection.

OUTLOOK: “[We expect] to return to the [Region 2] tournament in 2017 after failing to advance with a fourth-place finish at the District 6 tournament,” says Gregory. “Boone is returning four regular starters from 2016’s team to go along with some returning underclassmen.”

Celebration Storm

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Owen Ingram and Nicholas Morgan, who played as freshmen in 2016, will be back as sophomores this year. They’ll be joined by returning junior Drake Reiche. Interestingly, all three shot a 101 at last season’s District 3A-8 championship.

OUTLOOK: Despite a third-place team finish at districts, Coach Mike Prevost’s Storm had no impact on the rest of the off-season. Returning players will need to shave a considerable amount off their current shooting range if they hope to go further in 2017.

Circle Christian Centurions

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Eugene Hong, the top All-Area player who led the Centurions to District 1A-11 and Region 4 championships in 2016, and also had the best score at the Class 1A state finals, will be back as a senior this season. He’ll be joined by fellow seniors Daniel Core and Jordan Rodriguez, as well as juniors Evan Sun and Joseph Dougherty.

OUTLOOK: As noted above, Coach Scott Richardson’s Circle Christian team was a powerhouse last year. Better still, all five of their starters are coming back for 2017. Given the fact that they dominated at the district and regional level, but “only” tied for fourth at the state championship, they’ll be eager to go all the way this season.

Colonial Grenadiers

PLAYERS TO WATCH: After four of their top players graduated at the end of the 2016 season, incoming senior Waden Greaux will need to be ready to mentor other returners and any newcomers to the team.

OUTLOOK: Granted, Colonial plays in a the highly competitive 3A-6 district, but given the team’s inability to place at the district championship, or have any players advance to regionals as individual qualifiers, they’ll be hungry to improve in 2016. It will rest on Coach Stephen Ohl, who also heads the girls’ team, to inspire them to achieve more.

Cypress Creek Bears

PLAYERS TO WATCH: “I will be returning two sophomores and have an incoming freshman that will be pretty good,” says Bears Coach Terry Howard. “Bobby Sena and Daniel Garcia will be our returning 10th graders that showed great promise last year, and [the newcomer is] Kaleb Palm. Those three will anchor our squad, as we will have four others competing for the remaining spots.”

OUTLOOK: Cypress Creek didn’t have much of an impact in last year’s postseason, as the only player who qualified for the Region 3 competition was Matthew Garcia, who graduated at the end of the school year. If the returners have worked on their game over the summer, they have a shot of qualifying as a team this time.

Dr. Phillips Panthers

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Panthers Coach Tony Wilson, who also heads up the girls’ team, says that his returning starters will include juniors Joey Hodges, Matt Bloom and William Barger, plus seniors Colin Houde and Jon Fishman. Of those, Fishman had the best score at the District 3A-7 championships with an 88.

OUTLOOK: “Last year’s team finished third in District 7 and expects to improve with some great additions,” says Wilson. “Their solid work ethic should bode well.”

East River Falcons

PLAYERS TO WATCH: “The boys currently have no notable players, as our top performer at districts last season shot a 109 and our returner will struggle to eclipse 45 daily,” says Anthony Cangemillo, who steps into East River’s coaching position this year.

OUTLOOK: “I have begun the process of changing the culture here with respect to East River boys’ golf,” says Cangemillo. “In a preseason meeting, we had 15 young men attend where I announced that there would be a heavier emphasis on competition and daily practice. Craig Cooke, owner/operator of our home course, Wedgefield, is also committed to growing our program and youth golf in general. He is allowing all [East River] players full access to the Wedgefield facility seven days a week after 2 p.m. for no charge. I will meet with them throughout the summer for conditioning.”

Edgewater Eagles

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Coached by Steve Brewer, the Eagles expect to welcome back several key players from last season’s squad. They include senior John Crowder, as well as juniors Joseph Brown, Kellen Crowley and Sam Spade.

OUTLOOK: Competing in the 2A-10 district, Edgewater had extremely limited success last year, with just one player making it to the Region 4 competition as an individual qualifier. To make matters worse, that leading scorer graduated at the end of the year, setting up the team for a rebuilding year. It’s hoped that the experienced returners will have picked up some new tricks during the off-season.

The First Academy Royals

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Not only did the First Academy’s boys’ golf team have a solid outing in 2016, but everyone who played for the team at last year’s 1A-10 district tournament is slated to return this season. They include incoming seniors Dillon Gomen and John Pinel, as well as juniors John DuBois, Nick Rojas and Carter Webb.

OUTLOOK: Under Coach Richard Combs’ tutelage, the Royals finished second at the district championship but they didn’t make much of a mark at the Region 4 competition, with no players advancing to the Class 1A state championship. The fact that they fielded a young team that’s slated to unanimously return this year, though, indicates that greater successes could be in their future.

Freedom Patriots

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Senior Andrew Windslow and sophomore J.D. Oullette will return to the boys’ golf team at Freedom in 2017. Both were integral parts of the 2016 team that came in second at the District 3A-8 tournament.

OUTLOOK: As noted, the Patriots were the runner-up at 2016’s district championship, but that was the extent of their success. Coach Mike Prevost’s secret weapon could be the fact that, in addition to Oullette, several other players will be back as sophomores. If they’ve managed to shave strokes off their game in the off-season, the future could look much brighter going forward.

Geneva Knights

PLAYERS TO WATCH: One of the most exciting Knights to watch this season will undoubtedly be incoming freshman John Trey Diehl, who was an individual qualifier for last year’s Region 1A-4 championship after shooting a 76 in the District 11 match. Also set to return is junior John Allen, who also qualified for regionals after shooting an 85 at districts.

OUTLOOK: Despite Diehl and Allen’s success at the district tournament, Geneva was unable to advance as a team to the regional competition, so improved play from returners and getting newcomers up to speed quickly will be key to the school’s successes this season.

Lake Highland Prep Highlanders

PLAYERS TO WATCH: “We are excited to bring back our high-school returners, [junior] Ross Leveque and [sophomore] Johnny Wright,” says Highlanders Coach Bret Young. “They will play an important role with rising ninth-grade returners Leo Goosen and Lowen Chesley.”

OUTLOOK: Young further notes that the aforementioned golfers will build the foundation of Lake Highland’s golf program in 2017. Last season, the team placed third at the District 1A-11 championship, but Lee was the only player who made it to the Class 1A tournament as an individual qualifier. Look for their ranking to improve as this relatively young squad continues to iron out any kinks in their play.

Lake Howell Silverhawks

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Silverhawks expect to welcome back several players this season, including seniors Jacob Haas and Julian Cortes. Also set to return are juniors Andrew Bosse, Harrison Hullinger, Rockne Keyek and Zack O’Rourke, as well as sophomore Conner Cameron.

OUTLOOK: Coach Bill Norris’ team was almost a non-factor at the tough District 3A-6 tournament last year, and the only Silverhawk who was an individual qualifier for the Region 2 championship graduated at the end of the season. Hopefully another year of experience will serve returning players well as they head into the new year.

Lake Mary Prep Griffins

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The two Griffins expected to have the most impact this season are senior Leo Oyo and junior John Driscoll. The latter tied for 20th at last year’s Class 1A state championship, with Oyo tying for 24th.

OUTLOOK: Lake Mary Prep nearly ran the tables in 2016, thanks to strong coaching from Bobby Hayes and outstanding play from the team. They took first place at both the District 9 and Region 3 matches, but wound up settling for second at the state tournament. With three of five members of those championship teams returning this year, a repeat of—or even improvement on—last season’s successes is possible.

Lake Nona Lions

PLAYERS TO WATCH: “We have a strong nucleus of players returning from last year that includes Austin Cherichella, Charlie Anderson and Adrian Serna,” says Lake Nona Coach Justin Johnson. “We also have a few new players that will make an immediate impact to the varsity team, which includes an experienced junior tournament player in Joseph Pagdin.”

OUTLOOK: The Lake Nona boys’ golf team has continued to reach new heights over the past two seasons, including winning back-to-back District 3A-8 championships. “I have set the bar high for this team, and as long as they all buy into the system we have here at Lake Nona, the sky is the limit on how far this team can go,” says Johnson. “Our formula for success at Lake Nona is defined as: goals + effort + discipline + selfless = team success.”

The Master’s Academy Eagles

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Justin Johnson and Lawton Rue, who played varsity last season, will be back as a junior and sophomore, respectively, in 2017. They’ll be joined by some up-and-coming talent advancing from the middle-school squad.

OUTLOOK: The Master’s Academy has hired a new coach, Brannon Rue, and the school is excited about the potential and growth of younger players this season. Given that they had no impact at last year’s District 1A-11 tournament, they have nowhere to go but up, but Rue and his young team are looking forward to the challenge.

Oak Ridge Pioneers

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Several experienced members of the boys’ golf team at Oak Ridge are expected to play again in 2017. They include juniors Brett Schellpfeffer, Ruben Orelien and Samuel Cineus.

OUTLOOK: Although the Pioneers were unable to make a mark in the postseason, it’s certainly worth mentioning that they play in 3A-8, which is one of the area’s most competitive districts. Still, Coach Thomas O’Brien will have his work cut out for him as he tries to take his young players to the next level.

Ocoee Knights

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Returning players expected to rejoin the Knights include seniors John Butler and Lincoln Forges. They’ll be joined on the links by junior Thomas Kauffman and sophomore Riley Lewis.

OUTLOOK: As a team, Ocoee was unable to place at the 3A-7 district championship, and their sole individual qualifier to the Region 3 tournament graduated at the end of the season. As a result, Coach Jason Thorndill will have to inspire his returning players to improve their game and hope for some inspired play from any new additions to the squad.

Olympia Titans

PLAYERS TO WATCH: “Our top returning players will be state finalist and All-Metro from last year, J.P. Miller, and sophomore Jonah Leach,” says Olympia Coach Kevin McElveen. “Both have had very successful tournaments since the season finished.”

OUTLOOK: “I am very excited about next year,” says McElveen. “We have all of our main players returning and are looking to build on our success.” He further notes that the team won the metro last year, and finished second at the District 3A-7 tournament and third at the Region 3 competition.

Timber Creek High School’s Zach Denson

Timber Creek Wolves

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Coach Sean Ashby says that the Wolves’ top returning player will be senior Zach Denson, who had the lowest score at last year’s Region 3A-2 match and went to the state championship as an individual qualifier.

OUTLOOK: “Continuing on Timber Creek’s successful golf program, the 2017 season will be a great season for our experienced leaders, like last year’s regional individual champion Zach Denson, to welcome and lead our new up-and-coming players to a very competitive high-school season,” says Ashby. “We look to continue our streak of participating in the state tournament again this year.”

Trinity Preparatory Saints

PLAYERS TO WATCH: “Senior Will Delgado is our strongest returning player and will need help from fellow seniors Charlie Tang and Michael Pattillo, and sophomore Hank Schaefer in 2017,” says Trinity Coach Paul Barry. “Delgado is expected to be our 2017 leader. He competed in district/ region championships for the past two years and had several strong performances for the team in our 2016 season.”

OUTLOOK: “Last year’s team finished second in Class 1A, District 11, and third in the region tournament,” says Barry. “We lost four seniors, and our star freshman transferred out, so it will be time for the next group of players to step up. With Circle Christian, Lake Highland and Windermere Prep in the region, state finals is a sizable challenge.”

University Cougars

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Seniors Gavin Noel and Joshua Neumann are set to play again for the Cougars in 2016. As the most experienced members on this year’s team, they’ll be expected to mentor younger returning players as well as new additions to the squad.

OUTLOOK: Coached by Stephen Hellwege, University ended the 2016 season with little to show for it, having been unable to rank at the District 3A-6 tournament or send any players to the Region 2 competition as individual qualifiers. If they want to have more of an impact this year, the returners will have to find ways to lower their scores while simultaneously hoping that some talented new blood joins the team.

Wekiva Mustangs

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Only two Mustangs from last year’s squad are scheduled to return in 2017. They include senior Troy Reynolds and junior Austin Creech.

OUTLOOK: Last season was undeniably a disappointment, with Wekiva failing to place at the District 3A-5 tournament. Furthermore, while two players did earn spots at the Region 2 championship as individual qualifiers, they both graduated at the end of the year. Accordingly, Coach Eric McCall will hope for better play from his returners and impressive debuts from any fresh faces.

West Orange Warriors

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Per Coach Scott Baker, the Warriors’ top returning players for 2017 include Dylan Bittenbender, Domenic Tiani, Nick Stephens, K.C. Andrews and Jack Rea. Bittenbender and Tiani played key roles on last year’s District 3A-7 and Region 3 championship teams.

OUTLOOK: “Not many people want to go through the process, but many want to enjoy the outcome,” says Baker. “However, going through the process is what allows us to know who is worthy of enjoying the outcome with us.” And given their successes last season, which also included a 10th-place finish at the Class 3A state championship, it’s quite the outcome to enjoy.

Winter Park Wildcats

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Winter Park Coach Richard Robinson pinpoints seniors Sean McGinty and Pierre Vialleneix as top players to keep an eye on in 2017. He also expects great things from junior Drew Lanier and sophomore Brandon Boncore.

OUTLOOK: “I’m excited about this upcoming year as we continue to build on the success of the past two seasons,” says Robinson. “We are focused on securing a third-straight District [3A-6] championship and once again moving on from regions to appear in our third-straight [Class 3A] state championship tournament. Our returners bring some solid experience back for the 2017 season, and they are hungry to improve on the seventh-place finish at state last year.”

This article originally appeared in Orlando Family Magazine’s July 2017 issue.