The Wauwatosa Boys Golf team wraps up another successful season, as the players slowly but steadily move up in the Greater Metro Conference. This season, the greatest challenge for the team was to fight their way to the top half of the pack in the conference. The golfers were able to improve from last year’s season, placing fifth and earning themselves a place in this year’s sectionals. “Fifth is an improvement from last year’s sixth,” said Austin Kautzer, a junior from the varsity team, and added “If the lower half of our team played to their averages, we would have taken fourth in conference for the season.”
The Tosa Golf season was filled with close games such as conference; the team seemed to be edged out in many competitive meets. “We are facing some tough competition,” said Coach John Ravenola, the new varsity coach. Ravenola explained that moving up is a challenge, especially when three of the eight teams in conference regularly place in the top ten for the area. Kautzer added, “Our season hinged on a matter of one or two strokes three times I believe, when Falls edged us out time after time.” The consistency required to have the competitive edge in conference is a constant goal from the team. Team members expressed confidence in West’s ability to rock the Woodland Conference; however, because the golfers combine with East, they must play in the more competitive Greater Metro Conference.
The player that stands out as both a skilled player and team leader is senior Chris Zachman, who recently tied for second in regionals and has a serious chance of fulfilling his dreams for state. “I’m trying to make state. It should be a lot closer this year,” said Zachman, whose scores also garnered him a first-team all-conference title. “[Zachman] is no doubt our best player and will go far in golf down the road,” said Kautzer.
As Zachman completes his final season (he’s going UW-Stout with a scholarship), the team looks to fill his Varsity spot. Coach Ravenola seems confident that there are some budding players in the underclass. “We had 24 freshmen come out this year, which was the highest anyone could remember,” Ravenola said. “The talent level is also on an upswing and we are all looking forward to making some noise in the Greater Metro Conference in the coming years.” [Zachman] is no team, the key to success is consistency—something that Ravenola says the team “strive[s] for.”
Next year, with a growing team, the coach expressed plans to “set the bar higher.“ Citing a place in the State tournament as something to strive for, Ravenola looks optimistically towards the future. Players like Kautzer definitely see improvement in the team’s coming years as well. Said Kauzter, “Coach Ravenola is taking the program in the right direction.”