The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Welton leads Manchester at invite
Senior cards 76 as Dutchmen take eighth, Lumen wins with 312
By Ed Patino, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: May 1, 2008
Nearing the halfway point of the season, Justin Welton is showing that he's more than capable of leading the Manchester varsity boys golf team to success down the stretch.
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The senior came close to earning medallist honors for the fifth time this season in helping the Flying Dutchmen to an eighth-place finish in the Cascades Area Invitational April 25 at Jackson's Cascades Golf Course.
Jackson Lumen Christi won the 18-team event on its home course with a team score of 312. The Titans finished seven strokes ahead of second-place Napoleon. Jackson High School was third with 320.
It was the lowest finish for the Dutchmen this season, but Manchester is still leading in the overall Cascades Conference standings. The invitational didn't count toward the league.
"Cascades is not a course that we've played a lot, and I would've liked to placed higher," Manchester coach John Wilkins said. "Lumen Christi had a great round, and we struggled a bit."
Welton was the highlight of the day for Manchester, carding a round of 76 for 18 holes, which put him in a four-way tie for the top spot with Lumen Christi's Tobin Dunigan, Napoleon's Tyler LaSerra and Jackson's Trevor Raymond. A one-hole playoff was used to determine the medallist.
Playing the 18th hole, Dunigan recorded the low score, while Welton, LaSerra and Raymond tied for second.
Welton's success was not surprising to Wilkins.
"Justin is a great golfer and we know we can count on a good score from him every time," Wilkins said. "A bad round for him is a 40, which is good for most people. It takes the pressure off our other guys and helps us in most matches."
Though Welton has led the way for most of the season, he has received plenty of help from his fellow teammates. Currently, Manchester's starting four golfers are ranked in the top 12 of individual scoring average in the Cascades Conference. Welton is the league leader, while Travis Stemen is ranked eighth. Rob Ford, who didn't play golf last year, is 10th in the conference and freshman Nik Stetler holds the No. 12 spot.
"Having four of the top 12 scorers in the league is a pretty good thing," Wilkins said.
Each of Lumen Christi's golfers scored under 80, the only team to do so. Along with Dunigan's 76, Brent Dunsmore, Nick Reynolds and Keanon Kelly each posted rounds of 79 for the Titans. Other golfers in the event who broke 80 include Vandercook Lake's Ken Strohm, Hillsdale's Tyler Condor and Jackson's Andy King. All three of them finished with 79.
The Dutchmen played in Cascades Conference jamborees Tuesday and Wednesday after the newspaper's deadline. Vandercook Lake hosted Tuesday's jamboree at Ella Sharp Golf Course, while Napoleon hosted Wednesday's event at Calderone Farms Golf Course. Manchester is scheduled to play Clinton and Blissfield in a tri-match Friday at Rustic Glen Golf Course, the home course for both the Dutchmen and Clinton.
Cascades Jamboree at Michigan Center
Consistent scoring helped the Manchester varsity boys golf team to a second-place finish at a Cascades Conference jamboree April 24 at Lakeland Hills Golf Course.
Napoleon won the event with a team score of 167. The Pirates beat out the Flying Dutchmen, which scored 168. Addison was third with a team score of 173.
The win helped the Pirates avenge a one-stroke loss to Manchester two days earlier at Rustic Glen Golf Course.
Justin Welton, Travis Stemen and Rob Ford each carded rounds of 40 to lead the Dutchmen, while Nik Stetler added a 48.
Addison's Jon Binns was the medallist of the event, finishing with a round of 39.
Cascades Jamboree at Manchester
A sprained ankle had little effect on Justin Welton, as the senior posted the low score of the day and helped the Manchester varsity boys golf team win its third Cascades Conference jamboree April 22 at Rustic Glen Golf Course.
The Dutchmen shot a team score of 161 to win the event. They edged out Napoleon, which carded 162. Hanover-Horton was third with 166.
Welton, who is also a starter on the Manchester varsity baseball team this spring, tweaked his ankle during a game the previous weekend. Still, he managed to card a round of 33 and earn medallist honors.
"Justin playing on a sprained ankle made what he did even more impressive," Manchester coach John Wilkins said. "We snuck out the win."
Travis Stemen added a round of 41 for the Dutchmen. Nik Stetler finished with a 43, while Rob Ford shot a 44 for Manchester.
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