By Kevin Cunningham
Sports Correspondent
If there is one thing the Whitewater High School boys golf team has, it is experience.
“We enter the season with great optimism as we return our entire varsity lineup,” Whippets head coach Chris Wiegman said. “The expectation within the program is to take a positive step forward. Strengths are our returning experience and our willingness to grow as golfers.
“Jimmy Cushman and Jon Caldwell are two returning seniors who will lead the Whippet golf team in 2016. Both bring great leadership and experience to a team and program looking to steadily grow and improve. Jimmy and Jon really lead on the course and in the classroom, a staple of the Whippet program.”
The veteran-laden team opened its season on April 11 when the Whippets participated in a seven-team invitational held at the Big Foot Country Club. Badger separated itself from the rest of the pack in this meet, earning a total score of 332, which were 68 strokes better than second-place Williams Bay.
Whitewater finished in seventh place, totaling 467 strokes. Of the 35 total golfers, the Whippets’ top performer was Jimmy Cushman, totaling a 107. Cushman finished in 13th overall.
Trailing Cushman was Jake Walton, who posted a 118 and Thomas McManaway, with a 120. Billie Jo Parker carded a 122; Tommy Cushman scored a 131.
One day later, the team travelled to Alpine Valley for its first Rock Valley Conference meet of the season. Throughout the year, the six teams within the same Rock Valley Conference division will host what is called a mini meet.
These meets are scored in terms of points at the end, with the most points going to the team finishing in first and the least to the team in last. At the end of the season, the final conference meet will take place and the team with the most points ultimately wins conference.
Jimmy Cushman led the way once again for the Whippets, finishing with a score of 44. He would finish sixth out of 29 total golfers. Caldwell made his first appearance of the season for the team, shooting a 50.
Walton, Jo Parker and McManaway added to the team’s total score of 207. That score gave Whitewater a fifth-place finish, besting Evansville’s 219 and falling three strokes short of fourth-place East Troy.
The Whippets’ next meet will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday at the Yahara Hills Golf Course. This meet will be the team’s second mini meet within the Rock Valley Conference this season.
