WHS to co-op with Onaga for boys golf

AJ Grutsch | editor in chief

Several Wabaunsee students will cooperate with Onaga High School in order to participate in boys golf. 

Maverick Havenstein, Eli Oliver, Jacob Meseke, Ryan Schutter, Zach Frank, Wyatt Wurtz, Parker Holthaus, and Luke Wertzburger are the first Wabaunsee students to play golf competitively since 2014 when Tyler Fleming also joined Onaga. 

The students wanting to play golf approached principal Steve Oliver and athletic director Jeron Weisshaar to lay out a plan to present to the board. Onaga was willing to partner up with these students so they could represent Onaga on the course. The board approved it and the golf team was under way. 

Nearly 20 students were initially interested in the sport. Each of the students was required to pass a written rules test with a score of 70 or higher to be able to join the team. Once they have done that they are able to practice with the team and play in tournaments. 

The team will practice on their own time at Wabaunsee Pines and other local courses with a practice once a week on the Onaga golf course with the other Onaga students. They are coached by Craig Boswell for the regular season.

In the postseason, Wabaunsee will compete on its own. Christian Ulsaker will lead the Chargers for regionals and potentially state.

This split coaching is caused because Wabaunsee students cannot represent Onaga in the postseason. Also, Wabaunsee is a 2A school and Onaga will compete in 1A golf. 

The students are very excited to improve their game and learn more about the sport. 

“My goal is to just make my golf game better. How can I be 65 and retired and not have a good golf game,” Schutter said.

The team’s first tournament is April 4 at Washington County.