Kendallville, IN — Despite being shorthanded due to illness, the Goshen College men’s golf team made the best of its opportunity to play the host course of the upcoming Mid-Central Conference Championships, taking part in the two-day, two-course University of St. Francis Fall Invitational on Monday and Tuesday.
A 10-team field played Cobblestone Golf Course on Monday and then took to Noble Hawk Golf Links — the host layout to the upcoming MCC Championships — on Tuesday. And while Goshen’s 361-369 team scores were the highest of any tournament yet this season, Leafs’ head coach Cory Furman said he wasn’t overly concerned with the squad’s finish.
“These are two tough courses, especially if you’ve never played them before,” Furman said. “Given that fact, and the fact that we were down to only five participating golfers due to illness, it wasn’t too poor of a showing. I’m confident we’ll bring in lower scores when we return in a couple weeks.”
Goshen was without senior Tyler Springer and sophomore Shawn Martz at the event, as Springer had a previous commitment and Martz was out with flu-like symptoms. With only five golfers available, freshman Taylor TenHarmsel took team honors on both courses, shooting an 81 on Monday and an 88 at Noble Hawk.
“Taylor fired a 39 on the back side at Cobblestone, and then literally limped his way to an 88 at Noble Hawk,” Furman said. “He sprained his left ankle a bit just before Tuesday’s round, and really had difficulty shifting his weight the entire day. He’s a guy that could get low out here.”
Senior Tyler Roth fired a 90 on Monday but struggled to a 97 on Tuesday, providing Furman with hopes of lower scores as well. Junior Luke Penner, with the potential to fire a round in the 70’s, finished with a 94-90 card.
“Tyler’s game is coming around and Luke is on the cusp of doing something really impressive,” Furman said. “Luke’s putting failed him on both days, or he very well may have shot in the upper 70’s.”
Freshman Ryan Hallman posted a 94 at Noble Hawk, a disappointing score after starting the match even after three holes.
Huntington University won the overall team championship, firing a 301-296 tally. That clip just edged Bethel College’s 295-305 mark. Huntington’s Daniel Schroeder was the individual medalist, shooting a 74-72 (146). That edged Bethel’s Gavin Wilkinson, who fired a 72-76 (148).
“The MCC Championships are out here at Noble Hawk in two weeks, and it will be a 36-hole, 18-hole, two-day event,” Furman said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get out here one more time in a practice-round setting to see if we can better our scores.”
Goshen will next travel to Purdue University-North Central for a dual-rematch with the Panthers, as the Leafs edged out PNC in this year’s Goshen College Invitational (click here for related article). Goshen will travel to Briar Leaf Golf Course on Tuesday. Match time is slated to begin at 11 a.m.
Goshen Results
University of St. Francis Fall Invitational
Cobblestone Golf Course / Noble Hawk Golf Links
GOSHEN COLLEGE – (361/369) Penner, 94/90, 92 avg.; Unrein, 98/97, 97.5 avg.; TenHarmsel, 81/88, 84.5 avg.; Hallman, 96/94, 95 avg.; Roth, 90/97, 93.5 avg.
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Freshman Ryan Hallman