If there’s one thing the Wildcats are trying to avoid, it’s a sophomore slump.
With four of the team’s top five golfers being sophomores, it would be beneficial to the whole team for them to all play well and reach for their lofty goals.
They want to lower their scores, grab some medals and, of course, earn a berth in the Class 2A state tournament in November in Howey-in-the-Hills.
“We are a young, up-and-coming team, and they’re looking great,” coach Josh Raskopf said. “The top five are four sophomores and one senior, so we’re very young, which isn’t bad at all, since all five can shoot in the 70s.
“And the top five can change, too,” he added. “Which, as they say, is a good problem to have, since if one guy is having a bad day, the others can pick him up. “What we’re hoping for is good days from each guy and, hopefully, a trip to states,” he said.
Leading the pack of Wildcats, for now, is Tien Do, a transfer from New York. However, the team returns No. 2, Jacob Doonan, who shot an 83 at districts and an 87 at regionals in 2022.
Then, rounding out the sophomores are Carter Boynton and Camden Battey. And then there’s the lone senior of the bunch: Michael Hale, who shot a field-best 75 at the 2A-9 district tournament and a 78 at the regional tournament, narrowly missing a trip to states.
“Even more than how they play on the course, it’s about how great young men they are,” Raskopf said. “We had another young man from another team and he was the only guy on his team — just picked up clubs a couple days prior to the match and wanted to play.
“We’ve all been there, starting golf, and it’s great to see such a great group of guys, but then they can also play well, so that seems like a bonus.”
Indeed, it’s a tight team that very much welcomed Do into the fold. But with the other three sophomores, they have been classmates and junior golf partners for years.
“I’ve known and played with these guys on our team since, I don’t know, second or third grade,” Doonan said. “It helps that we know each other’s strengths, but that we can also rely on one another and it helps, or we help each other, on the course and range. I think we’re all pretty tight.”
Do agrees.
“All of us, out of the five, just four of us are sophomores, but we’re always at the same club — Hunter’s Green — practicing and always pushing each other,” he said. “We’re putting in the work in each match, each practice, trying to build a solid foundation off the group of guys we have, who are really good, in my opinion.
“It’s definitely a good problem to have where the top five guys can match each other, and we rely a lot on team chemistry. Hopefully we make it to states and win.”
The Wildcats, ranked 22nd in Class 2A, will have their work cut out for them, for sure. Do, for example, is learning firsthand how many great golfers are just in Wesley Chapel.
“I’ve definitely seen that since coming here,” he added. “I’ve played with a lot of great players, but there are plenty here (in Wesley Chapel).”
For starters, nearby rival Cypress Creek is in the same district and coming off back-to-back state tournament appearances, finishing 13th in 2022 and sixth in 2021. In fact, the Wildcats already have a loss this season to the Coyotes, being edged by just two strokes.
“It’s going to take hard effort and not giving up,” Doonan said. “It’ll be a lot of practice and effort, but that’s every team, and I think we’re willing to put that in so we can all go further than we’ve been before.
“We know it’s a tough district, but we’ll have our chances, I think.”
At the end of the day, and a round of golf, the Wildcats know where they stand — and want to go. It’s the state tournament, which they feel is a very realistic goal.
“It’s going to take — to make it states — everyone firing on all cylinders especially at the end of the season,” Raskopf said. “We’re going to need a couple of guys making sure we’re the ones firing on all cylinders, so getting their head in the game and making sure we’re prepared for full matches, once the postseason starts.
“If we have a good day, I think we come out over (district opponents) because we feel like we’re always in the hunt, in any round.”
Class 2A-District 9 Boys Golf
Teams
Brooksville Central
Cypress Creek
Fivay
Gulf
Hernando
Hudson
Nature Coast
Pasco
River Ridge
Springstead
Weeki Wachee
Wesley Chapel
Zephyrhills
District tournament details
Host: Springstead
Where: Hernando Oaks Golf Club, 5230 Delacroix Drive, Brooksville
When: Oct. 23, 9 a.m.
Published September 20, 2023
