3-Sport Ace Powers Thru Final Spring
May 10, 2017
By Tom Kendra
Special for Second Half
Collin Powers turned quite a few heads when, at the age of 10, he fired a hole-in-one in his first major junior golf tournament.
Those who knew his golf pedigree just shook their heads and smiled.
“My grandpa and two of my uncles were golf pros, so I guess you could say that I have golf in my blood,” said Powers, now an 18-year-old senior and three-time Division 4 all-state golfer at Muskegon Catholic Central.
Powers continued his own string of success and the family golf tradition last week by capturing medalist honors for the second time in the past three years at the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association city golf tournament at Stonegate Golf Club. He overcame a 40 on the front nine with a sizzling 34 on the back for a 2-over par total and a two-shot win.
Winning the GMAA event was certainly a goal, but his biggest motivation for this season is to go out as an individual and, more important to him, a team champion at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Golf Finals to be played June 9-10 at Forest Akers East in East Lansing.
“If I can only have one of those two, I would choose the team state championship every time,” said Powers, who will play golf next year at the University of Indianapolis. “That would be a dream come true.”
Powers’ dream of winning a team title for the Crusaders is not surprising understanding that, in addition to golf in his blood, he also has a heavy dose of Muskegon Catholic Central green-and-gold pulsing through his veins.
His paternal grandfather, Tom Powers, was the longtime superintendent of Greater Muskegon Catholic Schools. His maternal grandfather, John Partenio, is a former head varsity girls basketball coach for the Crusaders and a former golf instructor at Muskegon Community College.
Collin’s dedication to his school is right up there with his love for golf, which is one of the reasons he played three sports – soccer, hockey and golf – throughout high school in an era where more and more golf standouts are choosing to specialize.
This winter, Powers was the leading scorer and most valuable player for the Muskegon Reeths-Puffer hockey team, which includes Muskegon Catholic Central students as part of a cooperative agreement. In the fall, Powers was a starting midfielder for MCC after originally deciding to forego his senior soccer season to play more golf.
“In the end, I couldn’t do it. I missed it way too much,” said Powers, the son of Kelly and Lisa Powers. “I’m so glad I played. Some of those games we had in the tournament were the most fun I’ve had in my life.”
Powers played a key role as the unheralded Crusaders, who started the MHSAA Tournament with a .500 record (8-8-4) before upsetting one team after another en route to the Division 4 championship game, which they lost to Burton Genesee Christian, 3-0. Powers had a crucial goal in the second overtime of MCC’s dramatic victory over perennial power Kalamazoo Hackett in the Semifinals.
Now, he and his teammates are making their final high school sports memories on the golf course.
Powers first made a name for himself in high school golf two years ago as a sophomore, when he won the Muskegon city championship and finished tied for fifth at the MHSAA Finals. He moved up to third in Division 4 last spring and led his team to a third-place finish, Muskegon Catholic’s best showing at the Finals in 18 years.
MCC last won an MHSAA golf championship back in 1990 in Class C. But with Powers and the entire nucleus of last year’s team returning as seniors, the Crusaders are gunning for the top spot.
Chase Mastella, Nick Morgenstern, Nate Sullivan and Connor Inglat are all seniors who have figured in the scoring for Muskegon Catholic this season, along with junior Adam Gawron.
“The thing about Collin is that he practices more than anyone I know,” said MCC golf coach Jimmy Hegedus, who noted that Powers has been hanging around the MCC varsity players ever since he was in middle school. “It’s great when you have a No. 1 player like that. We’re excited about this season because we have a great group of seniors.”
Powers is really starting to live up to his surname this spring, as he has sprouted up to 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds and now averages better than 285 yards off the tee, Hegedus said. That increased distance, coupled with his always-deft putting touch, certainly makes him one of the favorites to take home individual medalist honors.
In addition to increased distance, Hegedus said Powers also has made huge strides in the mental game.
At last week’s Muskegon city meet, Powers hit several poor chip shots on the front nine and turned with a disappointing 40. He calmed himself down, however, and made a nice birdie on the 11th hole to come home in 34.
“I think the mental game is the thing I’ve worked hardest on,” Powers said. “My grandpa always used to tell me that golf is always about the next shot. I guess I’m finally starting to understand what he meant by that.”
When he starts having problems with his game and he’s not able to self-correct it, Powers often makes a call or pays a visit to one of his first teachers, his uncle, Casey Powers, who happens to be the head golf professional at Boyne Mountain Resort. Casey Powers’ son and Collin’s cousin, Griffin, is a standout senior on the Boyne City golf team.
“We have been going up there since Collin was a little kid, and him and Griffin would be running around on the course and the driving range and putting on the practice green,” said Collin’s father, Kelly Powers, who played quarterback at both the Air Force Academy and Hope College. “Collin has been around the game for a long time. He’s very comfortable on a golf course.”
It’s in his blood.
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Collin Powers tees off during the 2016 MHSAA Division 4 Boys Golf Finals at Forest Akers West in East Lansing. Powers tied for third. (Middle) Powers was the leading scorer this winter on the Muskegon-Reeths Puffer cooperative hockey team, which included five players from Muskegon Catholic Central. (Below) Powers moves the ball upfield during Muskegon Catholic's Division 4 Semifinal soccer game against Kalamazoo Hackett. Powers had a goal in the second overtime period to lead MCC to a 4-3 win. (Photos by Tim Reilly.)
Preview: Game On at LP Boys Golf Finals as Familiar Foes Set to Meet Again
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 5, 2025
This weekend’s Lower Peninsula Boys Golf Finals will see several returning standouts from championship tournaments of the recent past – and provide several rematch possibilities at the top of the standings.
The three highest-ranked teams playing in all four divisions return at least three golfers who competed at last season’s Finals, and the Division 3 and 4 tournaments in particular return nearly full lineups for most of the favorites.
Play begins both Friday and Saturday at 9 a.m. See below for more on a number of teams and individuals who could be in contention, and check out the Boys Golf page for full lineups and more.
Division 1 at Michigan State’s Forest Akers West
Top-ranked: 1. Detroit Catholic Central, 2. Rochester Adams, 3. Traverse City West.
Detroit Catholic Central: The Shamrocks are seeking to repeat as champions and win their third title in four seasons, returning three golfers who played at least one round at last year’s Final. DCC won its Regional last week at Twin Lakes in Oakland Township with a 285, edging No. 8 Bloomfield Hills and No. 5 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice. Junior David Krusinski, one of the returners from last season, finished second individually at the Regional, while senior Dillon Che tied for fifth and junior Collin Davis tied for seventh.
Rochester Adams: After finishing second in 2023 and third last season, Adams will pursue a first championship since 1978 this time coming off a second-place Regional finish (one stroke back) at Greystone in Washington Township. Three golfers return from last year’s lineup, including senior Jack Vogel after tying for 13th at last year’s Final. Sophomore Drew Rzeppa led the Regional push this time tying for fourth.
Warren De La Salle Collegiate: The Pilots are ranked No. 4 and coming off a Regional title at Lakes of Taylor. They finished fifth at last season’s Final with only one senior in the lineup, and the top three from that team will be back this weekend led by junior Troy Nguyen, who tied for third individually in 2024. All three returning players finished among the top seven at last week’s Regional, senior Max Teschendorf second and Nguyen and sophomore Julian Sinishtaj tied for seventh. Sinishtaj also tied for 13th at last year’s Final.
Individuals: With Nguyen, four more of last season’s top eight (with ties) will play again this weekend, including Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern senior Will Pollack and junior Mathieu Duflo, who tied for eighth a year ago. Okemos senior Ian Masih is back after finishing seventh, and Lake Orion senior Connor Fox returns after tying for fifth. Masih and Fox won Regional titles last week, as did Muskegon Mona Shores freshman Cruz Beckstrom, Bloomfield Hills senior Dominik Dostal, Ann Arbor Huron senior Adam Thanaporn and Detroit U-D Jesuit senior Aidan Treharne. Brother Rice senior Leandro Pinili was second in Division 2 last season and tied for seventh at his Regional last week.
Division 2 at Battle Creek’s Bedford Valley
Top-ranked: 1. Grand Rapids Christian, 2. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 3. Richland Gull Lake.
Grand Rapids Christian: The Eagles won Division 2 in 2023 and finished runners-up last season just one stroke behind St. Mary’s. Three returners who all placed among the top 22 at that Final will try to take the next step again this weekend, and after Christian edged No. 7 South Christian to win the Regional at Stonehedge North in Augusta. Senior John Cassiday was medalist, junior Sawyer O’Grady tied for fourth and junior Cooper Reitsma tied for ninth at the Regional; they finished tied for 22nd, tied for 19th and tied for fourth, respectively, at last year’s Final.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s: The Eaglets also bring back three golfers as they seek a repeat, and after edging No. 6 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood by a stroke to win last week’s Regional at Flint Golf Club. Junior Blaise Krol tied for seventh at last year’s Final and third at last week’s Regional, the latter with senior teammate Tim Humes while junior Mikey Karwaski and senior RJ Galacz tied for 12th.
Richland Gull Lake: Two golfers return from last season’s third-place finisher as Gull Lake again pursues a first championship. Those two helped set the pace as Gull Lake finished just a stroke off the lead at their Regional at Island Hills in Centreville; senior Joseph Blondia tied for seventh individually and senior Hank Livingston tied for 10th in part with senior teammate Carter Dominowski. Livingston also was in the lineup as a freshman at the 2022 Final, when Gull Lake finished a program-best second overall.
Individuals: South Christian sophomore Harris Hoekwater tied with Reitsma for fourth last season, and they are the top placers back this weekend. East Grand Rapids sophomore JP Levan tied with Krol for seventh last season and also returns, as does Allendale sophomore Sumner Meekhof after tying for 10th at the 2024 Final. Meekhof joined Grand Rapids Christian’s John Cassiday among Regional champions, as did Battle Creek Harper Creek senior Joey Mario, Bay City Western junior Drew Goik, Cranbrook’s Henry Delzer and Adrian’s Cayden Staib.
Division 3 at The Meadows at Grand Valley State
Top-ranked: 1. Jackson Lumen Christi, 2. Traverse City St. Francis, 3. Grosse Ile.
Jackson Lumen Christi: Last season’s runner-up finish was the Titans’ highest since winning Division 3 in 2017, and four golfers from that lineup are back this weekend including senior Charlie Saunders after placing a team-best tied for 16th a year ago. Lumen won its Regional at West Shore in Grosse Ile by 12 strokes ahead of No. 3 Grosse Ile and No. 8 Ann Arbor Greenhills, with sophomore Brandon Kulka the medalist, senior Adam Fuller and sophomore Gabe Cooper tying for second, Saunders placing eighth and senior Anthony Kulka tying for 12th.
Traverse City St. Francis: The Gladiators won last season’s championship by 18 strokes and without a senior in the lineup – and four of those five starters are back this weekend including reigning medalist David Ansley, now a senior. He tied for sixth during the team’s 22-stroke win at their Regional at Belvedere in Charlevoix, as senior teammate Josh Slocum was first, junior William Gibbons also tied for sixth, sophomore Casey Jackson tied for eighth and junior Ben Wolff tied for 11th. Jackson tied for ninth at last season’s Final.
Grosse Ile: The Red Devils are expected to make a big jump from last year’s tie for 14th, and although they finished second to Lumen at West Shore their 316 score was the fourth-lowest among teams at any Division 3 Regional. Three golfers are back from a year ago and all five placed among the top 12 at the Regional – juniors Luke Lazorka and Michael Olenchak tied for fourth, junior Braden Chessor finished 10th and juniors Nicholas Joly-Naso and Palmer Kehoe tied for 12th.
Individuals: In addition to the St. Francis pair, five more are back from last year’s top 10 (plus ties). Millington senior Brad Coleman was third a year ago, Tawas senior Austin Baker and Pinconning senior Cole Brady tied for fourth, Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian senior David Formsma tied for sixth and Midland Bullock Creek senior Colton Lower tied for ninth. Joining Slocum and Brandon Kulka among Regional champions last week were Grand Rapids Covenant Christian senior Aidan Pipe, Comstock senior Cayden Schultz, Shepherd senior Christopher Crockett and Lansing Catholic senior Hayden Riley – Riley after a playoff with Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett senior Steve McMahon.
Division 4 at Ferris State’s Katke Golf Course
Top-ranked: 1. Saginaw Nouvel Catholic Central, 2. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, 3. Clarkston Everest Collegiate.
Saginaw Nouvel: The Panthers are seeking their first championship and highest finish since placing second in 2013. Nouvel came in fourth a year ago with only one senior in the lineup, and the other four golfers are returning led by senior Alex McCarthy off tying for eighth in 2024. Nouvel won its Regional at Mount Pleasant Country Club by 22 strokes, with junior Ian Ziegelmann finishing third individually and McCarthy, senior Rodney Iamurri and junior Ty Iamurri all among those who tied for sixth.
Kalamazoo Hackett: The Irish will bring four seniors and a junior in pursuit of a championship to add to their most recent won in 2021. They finished fifth last spring with the same lineup, as now-seniors Chris and Andrew Ogrin tied for 11th individually. Chris Ogrin defeated his brother in a playoff to finish as medalist at the Regional at Hampshire in Dowagiac, with junior Justin Tyler placing third and senior Noah Emmer 12th.
Clarkston Everest: The Mountaineers have won the last two Division 4 championships and return four golfers from last year including reigning medalist senior Will Pennanen and senior Parker Stalcup, who finished fourth last season and second in 2023. Everest won the Regional last week at Fountains in Clarkston by 21 strokes with Stalcup second, junior Nolan Alban fourth, Pennanen fifth, junior Dominic Walker tied for 12th and senior Mark Cross tied for 14th.
Individuals: In addition to the Everest and Nouvel standouts mentioned above, Maple City Glen Lake senior Michael Houtteman (second) and Grandville Calvin Christian junior Will Orme (seventh) are back from the 2024 top 10. Houtteman joined Ogrin among Regional champs last week, as did Novi Christian junior Nate Spaude, Portland St. Patrick senior Landon Simpson, Wyoming Tri-unity Christian senior Hezekiah Nobel and Petersburg Summerfield sophomore James Feudi – who won a playoff against Riverview Gabriel Richard freshman Ben Allen.
PHOTO Jackson Lumen Christi’s Charlie Saunders launches an approach during last season’s Lower Peninsula Division 3 Final. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)