Golf welcomes new members to team for 2016 season

As winter sports come to an end, the spring season brings forth a fresh array of sports. This spring, FC’s golf team is looking to build from their success in the 2014-’15 season. 

Last year, the Eagles were West Sequoia League champions, North Area champions, and CIF Central Section champions. However, three seniors graduated and one player will not return.

This year, five new members joined the team, freshmen Jonah Lozano, Carson Cunnings, Reece Trevino, Alexander Rurik and junior Jacob Bynum. Davis Borrego, ‘16, and Michael Cliff, ‘17, are returning members.

The coach for the golf team is Jeff Hopper. This will be his tenth season coaching golf at FC. Hopper shares the success of the team last year, as well as what he looks forward to this year.

“When we say this season is ‘new’ we really mean it,” Hopper said. “Not only are we just getting started but this is new for five of our seven guys. They have never played competitive golf before, so there’s a lot to learn and a lot to be nervous about. Last season, we were league, area, and section champions, something we had never accomplished before. But we also knew that with the guys we had graduating, we really only had a one-year window to get that done. This time around, we’re more about bringing some new players along in their love for the game.”

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A golf team is made up of six players. Even though it is an individual sport, six players compete and the five best scores are added up. The team with the lowest score wins.

The week of March 7-11 was the team’s first pair of matches. The home game was at Riverside Golf Course against Central High, March 8. Then the team traveled to Kings River Golf & Country Club to play Kingsburg High School, March 9.

The first match against Central High proved to be a tough match against a resilient opponent. Central defeated the Eagles, 215-244. The next match did not end as well for the Eagles, playing among large trees on a golf course unknown to most players. They lost 246-264.

When we say this season is ‘new’ we really mean it. Not only are we just getting started but this is new for five of our seven guys. They have never played competitive golf before, so there’s a lot to learn and a lot to be nervous about. But they’re catching on. — Jeff Hopper

Coach Hopper notices there is room for improvement after the first two matches and is confident the team will improve quickly.

“The first week of matches opened our guys’ eyes to how much there is to putting a decent score up,” Hopper said. “You can’t just be a good driver of the ball, or good with the putter, or have your wedges figured out. All of those contribute to lowering your score and posting a number you can be satisfied with. I like how our guys are responding with eagerness to keep improving, and I think we’ll see improvement come pretty rapidly.”

Freshman Jonah Lozano is excited to be new to the team this year. Lozano is unsure of the changes from his regular sport, baseball, but will continue playing if he enjoys his first season.

“It’s a little bit of a change from baseball,” Lozano said. “I’ve been playing baseball for most of my life and I wanted to try something new. I was mostly nervous for the first matches but they went pretty good. I was in the third spot most of the time. I’m hoping to be in the second spot by the end of the season if I keep playing like I am.”

The week of March 14-18 the Eagles played against Clovis East. After a close match coming down to the last players, the Eagles fell, 239-217.

The Eagles are now 0-4 overall and looking to improve off the first matches of the season. The week of March 28-April 1 the Eagles will play a home match against Yosemite High School. 

For more information about sports, read: Boys tennis weekly recap March 7 – March 11.

This author can be reached via twitter @alexrurik23 and via email Alex Rurik.