Sabers top Portagers in tri-match

ONEKAMA — It’s that period of the golf season now when the West Michigan D League is already won and Division 4 district tournaments are on the horizon.

Monday’s tri-match in Onekama was about preparing for the latter.

“This is all practice leading up to Muskegon Country Club,” said Manistee Catholic Central senior Zack Bialik of his team’s site for district play next Wednesday. “It’s just practice until then, so if I can keep playing the way I am, I’ll be happy.”

With an even-par 36 on the front nine of The Heathlands, Bialik led the Sabers to a 169 to top Traverse City Homeschool (212) and host Onekama (213).

Bialik has won medalist honors in every match he’s played this year, and has a net score of 2-under par.

On Monday, he eagled the par-5 sixth and birdied the par-4 ninth, while bogeying Nos. 1, 4 and 8. He had some elements to battle in the meantime.

“I was pretty happy with it, especially how the wind was,” he said. “It was supposed to thunderstorm, so I wasn’t even expecting to play when I got up this morning.

“But yeah, to play in the wind and have about two three-putts, I’m happy with a 36.”

The Sabers’ Gabe Toczynski (42), Jaime Sierra-Nielsen (43), and Gabe Sidor (48) rounded out the team score, while Nick Bialik (50) and Renee Seymour (65) did not factor into the total.

Manistee Catholic Central’s Jaime Sierra-Nielsen plays a shot on No. 6 during Monday’s match at The Heathlands. (Dylan Savela/News Advocate)

“We’re pretty satisfied with how everyone is playing right now,” said MCC coach Pete Solwold. “Zack is huge every week, obviously, and Gabe, with a 42, tripled the last two holes today, so there’s some strokes he could have had there.

“Jaime’s been very consistent, and that’s what we need: those top three guys playing well,” he added. “We have some inexperience after that, and even though they’re playing well, we still don’t want to put too much of the burden on them.

“I think we’re doing all the right things.”

Onekama also used Monday to look ahead. Without their usual No. 1, Derek Hobart, the Portagers sent a slew of golfers out on the course, including several outside the six-member lineup.

Contributing to the team score were Parker Sternberger (51), Alexis Tribfelner (52), Brandon Bohannon (53), and Jack Coryell (57). Jarrett Bradford (58) and Matt Hull (68) also played.

“I’m really glad we got to play everyone today, including our spares,” said coach Tom McCraner “All the underclassmen got some real good experience, and I’m happy they got out.

“We’re starting to wind down the year, so right now we really need to concentrate on those underclassmen because that’s our future,” he added. “Now it’s for fun, and for experience, and that’s what we need right now.”

Posted by Dylan Savela, Manistee
News Advocate, on May 21 2013