The cameras flew into action as Shelli and I gathered the 2006 Team for one last photo op. Pictured left to right, back row, Coach Zadow, Levi Capper, Parker Johnson, Jordan Pomeroy, Tim Veverica, Zac Gilbert and Derek Rosen. Front Row, left to right, Donny Olson, Jake Matthews, Drew Griswold, Todd Lyman, Mike Swanson and Paul Cunningham.

 Golf Team Awards

The Portager Golf Team held their annual Awards banquet tonight, 11-2-06, wrapping up a season of record breaking, personal bests and team records. It was a ride that this reporter, as well as the team and their coach, will never forget. They finished the season with a record breaking, 19-4 overall record. In the WMD Conference, the team shot their way to a 12-3 record to finish solidly in 2nd position. It took them a Decade to achieve, however, the '06 team knocked off MCC , not once, but twice! They beat three Class C schools this year as well. Their only losses came from Brethren/Bear Lake and Manistee High( a div. 2 school). These were  very close matches where only a few strokes cost them the match.

In the WMD Conference the team had 2 members earn Honorable Mention status, two Second Team Honors, and 3 members who shot their way onto First Team All Conference Honors. Sr.'s Todd Lyman and Tim Veverica earned the Honorable Mentions in the Conference. Freshman Jake Matthews shot the 10th best shooting average of all the schools in the Conference for 2nd team honors as well as, Parker Johnson who shot the 11th best average. Drew Griswold honed his game to the tune of 6th best shooting average in the WMD for his spot on the 1st Team All Conference Honors. Jordan Pomeroy also took home 1st Team All Conference, shooting the 5th best average in our Conference. Levi Capper earned 1st Team All Conference shooting the 3rd lowest average of all the golf teams in the Conference.

During the 18 hole Conference Championship Match, our team brought home 4 medals and the bragging rights of having one of the Conference Match champs on our team. Sophomore Levi Capper shot a personal best of 77 strokes to tie with a player from Brethren/Bearlake for Conference Match Medalists (champions). Jordan, Drew and Jake also brought home Conference hardware that day. The WMD scramble A flight win went to OHS  team of Levi , Jordan and Parker.

A County wide individual tourney was held and Parker Johnson earned the 7th place medal. The team members were up against Div. 2 school, Manistee High as well as all other schools in the county.  1, (team logo), 2006 team, smashed through the schools team record that stood for  7 years, setting the bar at 161. Levi Capper, Drew Griswold, Jordan Pomeroy and Jake Matthews were the scoring four who set that new 9 hole record.

After all of these highlights, the Portager golf team took it one step higher, marking a new record in the stat books for OHS Golf. Jordan, Levi, Drew, Parker and Jake qualified as a team for Regionals when they finished 4th as a team during District play.

 Coach Zadow was awarded District Coach of the Year. She is quite modest and humble about this award from her peers and still gives all the credit to her team members. I will report more on this honor bestowed upon her as the information comes in .

Tonight's format for the awards part of the banquet was a little different this year in one respect. There were no "memory moments".. That didn't mean there wasn't any, most likely there just would not have been enough time.. I'm sure with all the record breaking and setting this year there are many! Even as I was driving up the school hill ,things were flashing through my thought process. I recalled hearing the applause and congrats going out to Donny Olson for his Birdie on the 8th hole at the Heathlands... The thrill you could feel in the air at County Highlands over Parker Johnson's eagle...Derek Rosen's 46 against Frankfort and his beautiful chip onto the 4th green.... Manager Paul Cunningham's eagerness to correct my grip at the driving range and all his help taking photos....Manager Mike Swanson's smile during every match....How Drew Griswold, knowing I was eager to know how the match was going for him, was quick to give me a thumbs up , or down, to let me know...( no one is allowed to talk with players during play)... Freshman Jake Matthews battled back from a serious arm injury from the summer, to shoot 41's(or lower) and also, his beautiful 1 putts on four consecutive holes on the back 9 at the Heathlands helping to beat MCE and Freesoil.. Levi Capper shooting better with each match shooting high 30's low 40's..

Tim Veverica's game came back to him against Benzie , much to his relief, shooting a 46....Where does Todd Lyman get those big words to describe match play? I can't find them in any dictionary...(but i love his quotes!)...consistency and calm is the name of the game for him...Jordan Pomeroy's golf etiquette, leadership and talent are unsurpassed...Zac Gilbert shot a 42 at Marquette Trails against Baldwin...

Summing up the Evening:
 Managers Mike Swanson and Paul Cunningham received their Manager Letters.

Freshman: Jake Matthews Varsity Letter, 2nd Team All Conference
Medalist in Conference Championship
Member of Scoring 4 who set new Team Record
One of five members who qualified for Regional Play as Team.

 Sophomore: Levi Capper
Numbers, WMD Scramble A-Team Champs member
18 Hole Conference Championships Match Medalist (tied) for champion with 77. 1st Team All Conference
Member of Scoring 4 who set new Team Record
Team Medalist LowMan (mvp)
One of five members who qualified for Regional Play as Team.

 Sophomore: Zac Gilbert
Varsity Letter

 Sophomore: Drew Griswold
Numbers, Medalist in Conference Championship
1st Team All Conference
Member of Scoring 4 who set new Team Record
One of five members who qualified for Regional Play as Team.

 Sophomore: Parker Johnson
Golf Pin and Number
WMD Scramble A-Team Champs member
2nd Team All Conference
Medalist in County Tourney
One of five members who qualified for Regional Play as Team

 Sophomore: Donny Olson
Certificate and Golf Pin

 Senior: Todd Lyman
Golf Pin
Honorable Mention All Conference
Reporter's Choice Award

 Senior: Tim Veverica
Golf pin
Honorable Mention All Conference
Reporter's Choice Award

 Senior: Jordan Pomeroy
Golf Pin
WMD Scramble A-Team Champs member
Medalist in Conference Championship
1st Team All Conference
Member of Scoring 4 who set new Team Record
One of five members who qualified for Regional Play as Team.
 

Levi Capper earned the coveted "Team Lowman" (MVP) this year. This is earned by shooting the lowest average score for the season amongst all team members.  Congratulations Levi!

 

 

Parker sports the medal he won during the County Wide School Individual Tourney held at The Heathlands.-->

<--Tim and Todd humbly listen as Coach Zadow announce their ALL Conference Honorable Mention Awards.

 

Freshman Jake Matthews looks at his Second Team
 All Conference Award as
Parker Johnson accepts his from Coach Zadow.-->

Jordan, middle, thinks for a moment after Coach Zadow asked if this was another first for the OHS Golf team. He agreed. It was the first time the team has had three members earn 1st Team All Conference in one season. The WMD Conference allows only 6 players on the First Team, and Jordan, Levi and Drew took 3 of those spots! Levi shot his way to 3rd lowest average overall in the Conference.

Reporter's Note: Thank you Coach Zadow and Team for giving me a team shirt with Reporter embroidered on the sleeve. AWESOME! Thank you and hugs to our webmaster Barb , who gets up at the wee hours of the morning to edit photos and post all the text to the website for our team. Thank you Coach Zadow for all of your help on reporting and photo taking...this is our sports web at it's best!  Whistles and Hugs, Team....Gwen ( who will listen next time and write down what I want to say before I stand up..*blush*)

 

Donny Olson presented Coach Zadow on behalf of
the team, a gift of appreciation. -->

Coach Zadow awarded the three Seniors each an Alumni OHS Golf Team shirt. Jordan, Tim and Todd have been on the team since Freshmen. It's always very hard to say goodbye to the Seniors, but  these young men are a class act and will missed next year.

 Parker accepts his Numbers and stats from Coach Zadow.

Stats are always eagerly awaited for at years end. Levi and Jake take a quick glance theirs.

We could tell by Coach Zadow's face, she wasn't ready to say good-bye to her seniors as she shook Jordan's hand.

Derek Rosen looks over his stats as Donny Olson listens to Coach Zadow.
Jordan and Drew earned 1st Team All Conference along with Levi Capper.
Todd accepts his Conference Honorable Mention from Coach Zadow. Tim and Todd both earned this honor.

We all had some good laughs as Tim and I reminisced about the last few years of Golf and Reporting. Tim knew I was new to the sport and took full advantage of the situation. I never knew what was correct, but I did know to always doubt what he and Josh just did or told me and get a second
opinion! Thus I awarded him a plaque with his saying on it.." It's a swat teeing off. A whack over water!"
Todd was never camera shy and took full advantage of any photo op. Todd could strike a pose at just the possibility of his photo being taken! Todd also came up with some of the best match quotes I have ever heard! He had words so big, so real sounding, I was sure they were real words. He would even spell these words for me.. never could I find them in any dictionary, but occasionally I would use them anyway as they sounded good. Tonight, I believe he was trying to trip me up once again, when he stated he was most likely just being "ostentatious". I quickly informed him that I DID know that word.. and yes, he is right! I awarded Todd a plaque for Man with the Match Quotes.
While Tim would repeat an action for me to capture it on camera and Todd could strike a pose a moments notice, Jordan was camera shy. I respected his wishes the best I could, shooting with a 500 lens at times from across fairways. Jordan finishes his high school golf career with some outstanding stats. I honored him with a trophy plaque, for he was 19 X's team lowman, 3 X's Match Medalist and an excellent team leader.


 

Coach Zadow was finally able to award Parker his medal from the County Tourney held earlier this fall. Seems the kids had made their own to wear for a while.

 

Golf Index Page for 2006

www.onekama.k12.mi.us
 

Manager's Paul and Mike worked very hard for the team this year , walking with playing groups through entire matches. Mike always had a smile on his face to calm souls and Paul helped me take photos.


Parker and Jake earned 2nd Team
All Conference Honors.

Of all the sports I have reported for over the years, no other coach or team has made me feel more welcomed and part of their team than Coach Zadow and the Golf Team. She calls me before she calls the paper with stats if I'm not able to attend. She takes photos and writes captions for them as well. Coach
Zadow took her personal time to help me with my golf swing early in the mornings . For these and many other reasons, I awarded her a desk top trophy plaque for Always giving 110%.