Playing better golf

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn recorded its best team score of the boys' golf season, but Hinton had too many players finish with scores in the 30s and low 40s. They gave the Blackhawks a 168-187 win during the War Eagle Conference dual on April 24 at Sanborn.

Five Hinton players finished at the top of the leaderboard, led by Kaden Barrett with a 37. Beau Cook and Garrett Moran with a 43, and Brooks Binneboese and Bode Binneboese with a 45.

Scores for H-M-S were Lucas Kroese and Blake Meendering 46, Charlie Conway 47, Jack Mastbergen 48 and Slayton McCarter 61.

Unity Christian defeated H-M-S, 162-199, in a WEC meet on April 27 at Sanborn. Knights who topped the medalist list were Titan Hulstein 38, Graden Van Essen 40, and Reece DeBoom and Tait Groeneweg 42.

Mastbergen led H-M-S with a 44, followed by McCarter 51, Kroese and Meendering 52, Aiden Bush 55 and Ethan Baker 65.

The Hawks remain winless in WEC duals, but Hawk coach Mark Japenga continues to see good things as the season progresses.

"We definitely are playing better golf. I like the work ethic and the adjustments kids are making. We have dropped our scores and continue to improve," he said. "We are very young but we continue to work at our skillset and have a good attitude."

That has been evident in the Hawks' play in windy and cool conditions for most of the season.

"We are getting better at dealing with the elements," Japenga noted. "We are also getting more focused around the green and not wasting as many strokes. I look forward to working with the kids toward continued improvement."

The dual with Sioux Central on April 28 was cancelled.

H-M-S (0-6) concludes the regular season by hosting a triangular with Harris-Lake Park and MMCRU on May 4 and playing at Akron-Westfield on May 8.