Cedar Golf Team Looks for Good Year

HARTINGTON — The Cedar Catholic golf team is hoping to improve upon its fifth-place state finish this year.
The Cedar golf team is slated to start its 10-meet season April 3 with a triangular here.
Cedar is scheduled to host Stanton and Norfolk Catholic in the season-opening meet at the Hartington Golf Club.

Cedar will have its next competition April 10 when they travel to Laurel for the always-tough Laurel Invitational. The Trojans will return to the comfortable confines of their home course April 22 for the Hartington Invitational.
Post-season action begins this year May 12 when Norfolk hosts the District golf meet. This year’s state golf meet will be in Kearney.
This year’s team is expected to be led by three-year starter Turner Becker. Dylan Steinhoff, in his first year in the Cedar golf program, is also expected to be a solid competitor for the Trojans. The varsity team will be rounded out by a trio of sophomore letter winners — Nick Lauer, Brett Klug and Cody Klug.
Lauer finished the 2007 season on a high note with a 10th place finish in the state golf meet.
Coach Mike Johnson said depth is a real strength on this year’s team.
“There will be seven or eight kids fighting it out for the five varsity spots this year.  This competition for spots will only make us better, because each time we qualify it will be like playing in a tournament,” he said.
Johnson said the team will have plenty of experience, as well.

“Another strength I see is experience.  Turner, Brett, Nick and Cody all were exposed to the State Tournament last year.  All four of them helped us win several meets last year.”
The team will need that depth and experience to compete in a very tough conference and an even tougher District this year.
“The Mid-State Conference will once again be a very difficult tournament,” Johnson said. “Boone Central, and Norfolk Catholic return several key members of their team from last year.  We should be in the hunt once again this year for a conference championship.”

Johnson said which ever school wins the C-3  District should have an excellent shot at the state title, as well.
“Our district went from being one of the toughest Districts in the state to being the toughest District this year,” he said. “Ponca will be in our District this year, along with Crofton, Norfolk Catholic, Plainview and West Holt.  Ponca returns several players from their State Runner-Up team last year.”
Other schools in District C3 this year include: Battle Creek, Creighton, Elkhorn Valley, Laurel-Concord, Lutheran High Northeast, Madison, Plainview, Randolph, Stanton, Wakefield,  and West Holt
The veteran Cedar Catholic Coach said his team can do very well this year, but they will have to work hard to attain their goals.
“We will have to work hard and improve every day in practice so we can be one of the top three teams in the district so we can qualify for state as a team,” he said.
Cedar Catholic has won two state golf championships in school history. The Trojans earned the state title in 1995 and again in 2005. Since 2000, the Cedar golf team has placed in the top five in the state meet five times.

2007 Cedar Catholic Golf Schedule
April 3    Stanton/Norfolk Catholic Tri-angular        Home        4
April 10    Laurel Invitational            Away        10
April 14    Wayne/Pierce Tri-angular        Home        4
April 17    O’Neill Invitational            Away        9
April 19    Mid-State Conference Tournament        Beemer    9
April 19    Osmond Invitational (J.V.)        Wausa  9:30
April 22    Hartington Invitational            Home        9
April 26    Pierce Invitational            Away        9
April 28    Plainview/Randolph Tri-angular        Home        4
May 1        Wayne Invitational            Away        9
May 5        Randolph Invitational            Away        1
May 12    Districts            Norfolk TBA
May 20-21 State            KearneyTBA

2007 Cedar Catholic Golf Team Members
Turner Becker     12    2 year letterwinner
Dylan Steinhoff    12
Beau Noecker    11
Matt Sudbeck    11
Travis Arens    10
Brett Klug        10    One varsity letter
Cody Klug    10    One varsity letter
Nick Lauer    10    One varsity letter, 10th at St in 07
Nathan Leise    10
Kevin Wintz    10
Nick Becker    9
Trent Bottolfsen    9
Tyler Leise    9
Jason Wintz    9