Appleton East takes team title, Xavier’s Watry wins medalist honors at Appleton City Boys Golf Tournament
AppletonSportsPage.com
MENASHA – Xavier’s Kyle Watry won a tiebreaker over Appleton East’s Owen Lutes for meet medalist honors, but it was the Patriots that grabbed the team championship at the Appleton City Boys Golf Tournament on Monday at North Shore Golf Club.
Watry and Lutes tied for first place with 5-over par 75s, two shots better than Appleton North’s Drew Rudolf and Xavier’s Jon Bertram. Watry won the tiebreaker based off the scorecard and handicap of the holes.
Appleton East finished with a team score of 316, five shots better than Xavier. Appleton West was third (333), Fox Valley Lutheran fourth (336) and Appleton North fifth (343).
Appleton East’s Tyler Bell and Kenny Kapheim, along with Appleton West’s Collin Evers, tied for fifth with 79s. Alex Gilmeister of East tied North’s Jon Huenink for 10th with 83, putting the Patriots’ four scoring golfers all in the top 10 overall.
“I think it was consistency,” Appleton East coach Aaron Shaw said. “They played well and handled the windy elements. The comradery within the team, they were excited to get out here on an amazing course and thanks to North Shore for having us and all of the Appleton schools.
“I look at our team that we are kind of a group of misfit golfers and a misfit coach, and we just battle and compete. These guys are always together, always hanging out, and it’s a fun group to be around and to coach.”
Watry said his work on the greens proved to be the difference.
“My putting was really good,” Watry said. “I read the slopes really good on my putting and also my irons were good. I struggled off the tee a little bit, but the up-and-downs were good.
“Other than the wind, the course was great. Everything was rolling really nice, the fairways were nice. I was able to get good spin off everything.”
Lutes said his putting and driving were crucial to his success in helping the Patriots to the overall win.
“It was pretty windy on the holes close to the water, so I tried to hit it lower on those, and downwind trying to take advantage and hit it as far as possible,” Lutes said.
Prestyn Evers added an 81 for West, placing eight.
Kaden Kusserow, Tate Sauer, Adam Loberger and Myles Boehm all shot 84 for Fox Valley Lutheran, tying for 12th.
Xavier will compete at the third Bay Conference Tournament meet on Tuesday at Crystal Springs Golf Course in Seymour.
Appleton West will be at High Cliff against Kimberly, Appleton East will host Neenah at Reid, and Appleton North will travel to Westhaven Golf Course in Oshkosh to take on Oshkosh North in Fox Valley Association duals on Tuesday.
Fox Valley Lutheran’s next competition will be Thursday at the 10-team Kettle Moraine Lutheran Invitational at Hidden Glen Golf Club in Cedarburg.
Note: Thank you to Greg Huenink for contributing interviews and photos for this story.
Appleton City Boys Golf Tournament
April 22, at North Shore Golf Club (par 70)
Team scores: 1. Appleton East 316; 2. Xavier 321; 3. Appleton West 333; 4. Fox Valley Lutheran 336; 5. Appleton North 343.
Individual scores: 1. *Kyle Watry (X) and Owen Lutes (AE) 75; 3. Drew Rudolf (AN) and Jon Bertram (X) 77; 5. Tyler Bell (AE), Kenny Kapheim (AE) and Collin Evers (AW) 79; 8. Prestyn Evers (AW) 81; 9. Jonah Gentry (X) 82; 10. Alex Gilmeister (AE) and Jon Huenink (AN) 83; 12. Kaden Kusserow (FVL), Tate Sauer (FVL), Adam Loberger (FVL) and Myles Boehm (FVL) 84; 16. Lucas Downs (AW) 85; 17. Jaden Gaerts (AE) 86; 18. Grant Neumann (X) and Jack Schmidtke (X) 87; 20. Austin Arizola (AW) 88; 21. Nolan Shea (AN) and Graham Goldschmidt (AW) 90; 23. Dax Macklin (AN) 93; 24. Ethan Ruppel (FVL) 94; 25. Daniel Garrigan (AN) 102. (*won tiebreaker based on hole scores)