Two strokes.
That’s all that stood between the Emporia High boys golf team and a State championship last season.
And if you ask the players, they came that close despite an off day.
“We were kind of bummed about that. Nobody had a good day,” said Fletcher Harder, who placed third at State a year ago. “That’s going to motivate us this year — getting beat by two strokes when we had a chance to win it. That’ll motivate us to get back there and do our best.”
On paper, Emporia High shouldn’t have much trouble making it back to State for another crack at the title this season.
The Spartans return their top four golfers and five of six varsity players from last year’s squad, having only graduated one senior, Jared Johnson.
Back off the State runner-up squad from last year are Harder, Eric Reimer, Bren Fisher and Matt McAnarney, as well as Zach Young, who competed at State but did not score.
Not a bad start when you’re talking about needing to make up just two strokes for a possible State title.
Then, consider that the Spartans are a balanced group; no one golfer stands out above the rest.
Harder, in addition to leading the way at State, won the Centennial League title last season while Fisher took the Regional title. Harder and Reimer this past summer finished second in the City Golf Championships, and just last week, McAnarney beat all three in a round at the Municipal Course.
The fact that any one of the top four golfers on the team is capable of carding the low round on any given day gives this year’s squad some added confidence.
“It just depends on who’s playing well,” Reimer said. “It’s really who’s on. It’s great competition to play and practice against.”
But if the Spartans want to go one step farther this season, they know they’ll have to develop some depth. Young gives EHS an experienced fifth man, but the questions surrounding the sixth spot on the varsity team are still lingering.
“We’re trying to get some of the guys to step up into that role,” Harder said. “If one of us has a bad day, that’ll hurt us unless we can get some of the younger guys to step up.”
This year, the State Tournament will be played at Turkey Creek in McPherson.
Making a return trip to the State isn’t even a doubt in the minds of the Spartan golfers. They’re already focused on how they’ll play once they get there.
“I’m not the biggest fan of Turkey Creek,” Reimer said, “but you’ve got to play no matter where it’s at.”
As for making up those two strokes? The EHS players are pretty confident that can happen as well.
“Our expectations are very high,” Reimer said. “I think if we all just play our games, we can have a great shot.”
EHS was scheduled to open its season today at the Salina Central Invitational.