Boys Golf Season Preview: Depth gives growing program an edge

Head coach Ed Weaver has high expectations for the 2018 Niwot boys golf team, and he makes a convincing case for them. On paper, his projected varsity squad is almost an embarrassment of riches. He is returning all three state qualifiers from last season, and expects to pick up a talented incoming freshman. Add in a handful of rapidly improving juniors and sophomores behind them, and Weaver anticipates having enough depth to vie not just for event titles, but eventually the conference and regional titles. He also fully expects the Cougars to earn their third consecutive team bid to the Class 4A state championships.

“I’m very confident this is going to be a good team,” Weaver said. “Usually with high school teams, there’s a small gap between the number one and number two players, and a big gap between two and three and three and four. We don’t have those gaps. My one, two, three and four should be tight as a drum.”

There were certainly signs of a budding powerhouse in 2017, especially in the latter half of the season. Led by junior Jack Hoover, the Cougars were surprise runners-up at last year’s Region 1 tournament, and nabbed a coveted state berth, their second in two years. Hoover is once again projected to fill the top spot, both on and off the course.

“The first thing he brings is leadership,” Weaver said of the third-year player. “Especially leadership by example. But, you have to learn to play at each of the different levels.”

As a junior, Hoover had a breakout year, with first or second place finishes in four of the Cougars’ 10 regular season events. Runner-up at the regional tournament, he finished less than 10 strokes behind the defending Class 4A individual champion, Luke Trujillo of Discovery Canyon. Things didn’t go quite as planned at the State Championships, however. Thanks to some unfortunate struggles with his short game, Hoover finished +30 over two rounds, to take 44th place overall.

He will be joined by senior and fourth-year golfer Andrew Elliott at number two, and Jack’s younger brother Sam Hoover, a junior, at number three. Last season, Elliott also improved over the season, and capped off his junior year by placing fifth at the regional.

Both Elliott and Sam Hoover qualified for the state championships, but Elliott was a last minute withdrawal. The younger Hoover tied with his brother after the first round, but fell to 52nd overall after going +16 on day two.

“Sam learned a ton at state,” Weaver said. “In fact, he doesn’t even know how much he learned at state, but he will when he starts playing a little more in competitive tournaments.”

Weaver expects freshman Christopher Gunlickson and sophomore Luc Blondeau to round out the top five. In all, 11 golfers showed up to tryouts this year, including junior Luke Martinez, sophomore Nicolas Bourgin, and fellow sophomore Jesse Horn. That gives Weaver enough players for a junior varsity team, which will be coached by Niwot head basketball coach Eric Hejl, who is also an assistant pro at Lake Valley GC.

The 2018 boys golf season kicks off with four tournaments in seven days, starting with Northern league event #1 on Thursday, Aug. 9 at the Olde Course in Loveland, followed by the Spartan Invitational at Highland Hills in Greeley on Aug. 13. Weaver and the Cougars are hosting league event #2 at Twin Peaks GC on Tuesday, Aug. 14, then head to back north for the Eaton Invitational on August 16.