On Monday, March 30, the boys golf team placed fifth in its season-opening tournament, the Blue Valley Invitational, at the Lionsgate Golf Course. Last season, the team placed fifth in the same tournament. Seniors Ben Hadden, Jack Casburn, Devan Thomas, Matt Bahle and Jalen Oehlert and junior Koy Holden competed.

Although he deemed the tournament “shaky,” Hadden said the team’s finish was not overly disappointing.

“It was our first tournament of the year, but we did about as good as we expected we would right out of the gate,” Hadden said. “So no complaints.”

Thomas said the team needs to build on Monday’s lessons, though, as a fifth-place finish isn’t ideal.

“Everyone needs to work on playing their game,” Thomas said. “We all know we can compete; we have to improve.”

With five seniors filling varsity positions, Hadden said the rest of the season remains promising.

“It is going to help us a lot because we have the experience and we also have three seniors who have been playing since fifth grade,” Hadden said.

Regional competition will include the strong forces of St. James Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas, Blue Valley Southwest and Blue Valley West, so the team looks to maximize its efforts against such opponents in upcoming tournaments.

“This year, we have a pretty strong regional,” Hadden said. “We’re looking to be able to beat them because we have to get top three at regionals to make it to state, and that requires beating two of those teams.”

The team competes next on Wednesday, April 8 at Prairie Highlands Golf Course at 1:00 pm.