Grafton has dreams of NSC repeat in golf

The top two players in the North Shore Conference return to Grafton High School this season.

Jake Leidel, the NSC Golfer of the Year last season who can drive the ball more than 300 yards, is back for his senior season, along with Parker Strozewski, who was one stroke behind his teammate and finished 11th of 52 golfers at the Division 2 state tournament.

Leidel had 192 total strokes and averaged 38.4 strokes per nine holes. Strozewski had 193 and averaged 38.8.

The Black Hawks last season stopped Homestead’s streak of seven straight league titles and has plans to continue their own run.

“It’s a new team. It’s a different team,” coach Phil Trottier said. “If we play well and do what we’re supposed to, I think we can push for a conference championship again this year.”

The Hawks also return Kendyl Conrad, one of the few girls’ players on boys’ teams, who was a top-five player last season.

They lost their No. 3 player Miles Jaeger to graduation.

Leidel plans to golf at Indiana Tech and Conrad plans to golf at Winona State.

“Parker has offers to play,” Trottier said.

“Three of my five kids are college players.”

Billy Reiss, who graduated last year, is playing at St. Norbert, and Jaeger had offers but chose to focus on academics at Marquette University. That means Grafton’s entire lineup was full of college-level talent.

The Hawks this season started by finishing 19th with 644 strokes at the 54-team Washington County Invitational that had players playing nine holes at the Hartford Golf Club and nine at the Washington County Course.

Leidel went 76-71 for 147, tying for 11th place.

“He played well,” Trottier said.

Conrad shot 78-81 for 159, tied for 62nd of 234 players.

“She played really well. It’s her first time breaking 80 in a high school meet,” Trottier said. Conrad had reached the milestone during summer tournaments.

Sophomore Jack Birmingham shot 83-85 for 168. Senior Braxton Boehlke shot 83-87 for 170. Freshman Brady Garcia shot 97-90 for 187.

“Three kids made their varsity debut and one made his high school debut,” Trottier said.

Strozewski was nursing an injury and was expected back this week, Trottier said.

The Hawks were to play at Hidden Glen  on Monday, April 20, but the meet got moved to Mee-Kwon in Mequon because of wet conditions.

Grafton was to play at Mee-Kwon on Tuesday, April 21, as well.

The Hawks play at the Bog on Monday, April 27, and at Brown Deer Park on Tuesday, April 28.

Krentz leads Port to start season

Port Washington finished 51st in the Washington County Invite with 747 strokes.

Senior Eric Krentz shot 91-94 for 185. Freshman Steven Schowalter shot 96-96 for 192. Freshman Cooper Giese shot 102-92 for 194. Sophomore Blake Maves shot 99-104 for 202.

Port was to play at Hawthorne Hills in the Town of Saukville on Wednesday, April 22. They play at Shamrock Heights on Monday, April 27.

CG-Belgium has small team

Cedar Grove-Belgium has five players on the team this season.

Sophomore Lee Lemke, named to the Big East second team last season, won the Sheboygan County Junior Tournament last summer.

“His talent doesn’t have a ceiling and is a real special player, someone we all are definitely going to want to keep an eye on,” coach Jake Hock said.

Junior Jack Meinen is in his third year on varsity. He earned Big East honorable mention as a freshman and was on the second team last season.

“Lee and Jack push each other to become better golfers. I expect both to compete for not just high all conference, but are more than capable of reaching sectionals or farther,” Hock said.

Other team members include freshmen Nolan Meinen and Evan Halleman and junior Mikey Mazzotti.

“Newcomers Nolan, Evan, and Mikey are definitely guys that have the ability to take big strides in their game this season,” Hock said.

Lemke shot 38 and tied for first on April 14 in the Bit East South Conference Mini Meet at Blackwolf Run in Kohler.

The Rockets finished with 211 strokes, last of five teams.

Jack Meinen shot 50. Nolan Meinen shot 56. Halleman shot 67. Mazzotti shot 70.

Random Lake/Ozaukee had an incomplete team. Daigan Hiranicka shot 54. Tanner Russell shot 69. Dylan Dvorak shot 87.

The Rockets and RLO were to play at Riverdale Country Club on Tuesday, April 21. They play at Riverdale again on Thursday, April 28, and at Town and Country on Tuesday, April 28.