The Rochester College men's golf team completed their fall season by taking second place overall at the Defiance College Men's Fall Open hosted by Defiance College at Kettenring Country Club. With two players battling colds, the Warriors finished the day with a team score of 323. Brad Hunt led the scoring with a 78 which was good enough for a tie for 4th place. Jay Gilman finished right behind Hunt with a 79 giving him a tie for 6th. Derrick Burns (83) and Corey Heier (83) rounded out the scoring for the Warriors. Elliott Kern's 88 did not figure into the team score. The highlight of the day was Kern's eagle on the par 4, 282 yard 4th hole. Because of the shot-gun start, Kern started his round on the 4th hole. After a solid tee shot with his fairway wood left him in the middle of the fairway, he proceeded to hole his second shot from 80 yards out. It was Kern's first eagle as a Warrior and the second eagle in tournament play in the program's history. Corey Heier carded an eagle in the first tournament of the season. The Warriors will resume play for their spring season sometime in April.
13 October 2008
Ken Venturi/Trine University Golf Tournament
The men's golf team travelled to Angola, IN this past Friday to participate in the Ken Venturi Invitational tournament hosted by Trine University. The Ryder Cup style tournament consisted of each team having three pairs of golfers. Each pair played the first six holes as a scramble, the second six holes as a better ball tournament, and the last six holes using the alternate shot format. The Warriors were led by the duo of Corey Heier and Derrick Burns who posted a score of 70. That score gave them a tie for 6th for the overall pair score. They missed winning the scramble section of the tournament by only one stroke after shooting a 21. The pair of Jay Gilman and Brad Hunt finished with a 73, and combo of Elliott Kern and Mike Iannucci rounded out Rochester's scoring with a 77. The Warriors took 6th place overall with a total team score of 220. The men's team will complete their fall season with a trip to Defiance, OH for the Defiance College Men's Fall Open on Saturday.
01 October 2008
Warriors dissapointed in team performance, but look to improve.
The men’s golf team hosted the Oakland Community College Raiders in a match at the Warriors’ home golf course, Greystone Golf Club, on Monday.The Raiders were able to come away with the win after firing a team score of 307, which was 12 strokes better than Rochester’s 319.Corey Heier once again led the way for the Warriors with a 2-over-par 74.That was good enough for second place on the day and just two shots out of first.Heier’s 74 was also the lowest round in a tournament in the program’s short history.
The scoring for the Warriors was rounded out by Jay Gilman (79), Brad Hunt (82), and Derrick Burns (84).The scores of Elliott Kern (91) and Mike Iannucci (93) were not used in the team score.
Coach Clayton Bissett said he and his team were not pleased with the outcome of Monday’s match.“I don’t think any of us came away from the match with a good feeling,” Bissett said.“We all expected to play better than we did.We know we have things to work on and we know where we have to improve.Hopefully we can make those improvements in two week’s time.”
The team will next compete on Friday, October 10th at Trine University’s Fall Invitational and then round out the fall season the next day, Saturday the 11th, at Defiance College’s Fall Open.
17 September 2008
Corey Heier Leads the way for the Warriors
The men's golf team traveled to Wauseon, OH on Tuesday to participate in the 13th annual Jon P. Spiess Memorial Golf Tournament. The Warriors fought their way through a strong field to take a 6th place finish. Leading the way was junior college transfer Corey Heier with a score of 77 which tied him for a 9th place finish. Sophomore Brad Hunt was right behind Heier with a 78 on the day. Jay Gilman (81), Derrick Burns (81) and Elliott Kern (82) rounded out the scores for the Warriors. Coach Clayton Bissett was once again happy with his team's performance. "Corey did a great job of battling back after a very tough first hole," Bissett said. "If he plays that hole like he normally would, he probably finishes in the top 3 scores for the day." Coach Bissett went on to praise freshman Elliott Kern. "Elliott's first tournament did not turn out the way he wanted it to, but he came back today with a strong effort." The Warriors will be back on the course on Monday, September 29th when they host a tournament at their home course, Greystone Golf Club.
16 September 2008
September 14, 2008
Warrior men battle wind and rain to claim 3rd place at O.C.C Tournament
The men's golf team opened up their fall season in wet conditions. Fighting on and off rain showers, the warrior men were able to shoot a team score of 312, which was good enough for 3rd place. Senior Jay Gilman and junior transfer Corey Heier led the way with a pair of 75's. Heier used an eagle on the 506 yard par 5 10th hole to tie Gilman and 4 others for 7th place in individual scores. Brad Hunt added a 79, while Derrick Burns (83) and Elliot Kern (89) rounded out the scoring for the warriors.
Coach Clayton Bissett was pleased with the outcome of the season's first tournament. "This was very encouraging," said Bissett. "We came in with a solid team score, but that is not even close to how good we could be." "I am encouraged by the play of our freshman," Bissett added. "I know they are probably not happy with their scores, but Derrick and Elliott handled the pressure of their first collegiate tournament very well. I look forward to seeing what they can do the rest of the season."
The warriors will continue their fall schedule on Tuesday the 16th when they travel to Wauseon, OH for the 13th annual Jon P. Spiess Memorial Tournament.
11 September 2008
2008-2009 Seson Outlook
The Rochester College Warriors men’s and women’s golf teams are preparing to begin their second season of competition this fall. The men’s team finished off last year with a tournament win at Ohio State University-Lima’s tournament last Spring and hope to carry that momentum into this year.
Second year coach Clayton Bissett has worked his teams hard thus far in preseason practices. “I really like what I have seen from the returners and our new players have impressed me and shown some promise. Our home course (Greystone Golf Club) is such a tough course that it should go a long way in preparing us for tournament play.”
Coach Bissett is happy with what he has seen from returners Jay Gilman, Brad Hunt, and Mike Iannucci. “Jay, Brad, and Mike have each improved their games from last year. They got better over the summer and I look for them to be a strong core of players we can rely on tournament after tournament.”
One golfer who will be missed in the fall season is Gary Turner. Turner will be studying overseas this semester in Rochester College’s GEO program. “When Gary asked me about this opportunity and what it would mean for him and golf, I told him without hesitation he had to go on the trip,” Bissett said. “He was a valuable member of last year’s team and we will certainly miss him, but you can’t pass up an opportunity like he has.”
The men’s golf team also has a few new faces in its fold. Freshmen Derrick Burns and Elliott Kern along with transfers Bobby DeVoursney and Corey Heier will push the returners to stay on top of their game. “Derrick and Elliott both led their teams to the MHSAA state golf tournament this past year and know how to golf under pressure,” said Coach Bissett. “Corey and Bobby bring added experience and maturity that should help show our younger guys how to compete day in and day out.”
The women’s team returns Jordan Grambush from last season. Grambush represented herself well last year as the lone member of the women’s team. This season she will have a teammate, freshman Audrey Cravens.
Coach Bissett said, “Jordan did great last year. She never backed down from a challenge and really posted some good scores. Audrey is a lot like Jordan in that aspect. They really fit well together and should push each other to get better every day. I am excited to see what this season will bring for them both.”
The Warrior men's golf team saved the best for last as they won the first tournament championship in the program's young history on Friday. In the last tournament of the season, the men traveled to Lima, OH to participate in the 37th annual Baron's Golf Invitational hosted by Ohio State University-Lima. The tournament was held at Hawthorne Hills Golf Club. The team score of 306 was a team best, as were the individual scores posted by freshmen Brad Hunt and Gary Turner.
Hunt and Turner each posted a 75 which tied for the lowest tournament round in the program's short history. Their 75 was good enough to tie them for 2nd overall in the tournament. They were followed closely by senior Colt Walker's 77, junior Jay Gilman's 79, and freshman Mike Iannucci's 81. Coach Clayton Bissett was extremely proud of his team.
"The guys really hung in there this season," Bissett said. "The extended cold and snow in the winter made this a tough spring and did not allow us much time to practice. I am just glad that it all came together for us in our last tournament."
Coach Bissett was also happy with his team's first year of competition and is looking forward to next year.
"I am very proud of the way our freshmen came through for us," he said. "Brad and Gary were solid all year and Mike really started to get it rolling the last couple of days. "I wish Colt could play for us another year, but I am excited about the great core of players we have coming back. We have good young players, and Jay should be a strong senior leader of us next season."
18 April 2008
Spring Arbor University Invitational Men's Tournament Recap
After an hour and a half delay because of frost and 36 holes of golf, the Warriors came home with a total team score of 666 which was good for 10th place. Junior Jay Gilman led the way with a two round score of 162. The 666 was a 36-hole team record. The Warriors will travel to Lima, OH on Friday for their last tournament of the season.
14 April 2008
Tri-State University - A.C. Eddy Spring Classic Men's Tournament Recap
On a chilly and windy day in Angola, IN, the men's golf team came away with a very strong showing this past Friday. Fighting 20-30 mph winds and after a stoppage of play because of rain and lightning, the Warriors garnered a 4th place finish in a field filled with top teams from the NAIA and NCAA Division III, and an NCAA Division II team. Freshman Gary Turner once again led the Warriors' charge with a 79, putting him in a tie for 14th place. The Warriors finished with a team score of 325. The men's team will next see action in a one day, 36-hole tournament in Spring Arbor on Monday the 14th.
10 April 2008
Defiance College Spring Invitational Men's Tournament Recap
On a windy day in Defiance, OH, freshman Gary Turner was able to lead the Rochester College men's golf team in their first tournament of the spring season with a team best 78. Turner's 78 was good for a tie for 6th place. The Warriors finished with a team score of 332. They will next see action on Friday as they head to the TSU-A.C. Eddy Spring Classic hosted by Tri-State University in Angola, IN.
