Medalist Menser Sets Pace as DCC Pulls Away from Skyline to Take Back Title
By
Tom Lang
Special for MHSAA.com
June 8, 2024
BATTLE CREEK – For the last four years, Detroit Catholic Central and Ann Arbor Skyline have been battling nip and tuck as two of the top teams in Michigan, led by 2024 seniors Julian Menser of DCC and Vibhav Alokam of Skyline.
This year, Catholic Central nipped Skyline, again, winning the boys Lower Peninsula Division 1 title at Bedford Valley by eight strokes with a two-round 597.
Menser shot 70-70-140 over Friday and Saturday to win medalist and lead the Shamrocks to the team title, the program’s second over the last three years. DCC’s prior three championships came from 2015-17.
Menser said none of his current teammates were on the squad with him two years ago when Catholic Central came from behind to nudge out Ann Arbor Skyline by one stroke.
“I’m really excited, but I’m even more excited for the guys on the team that have won (the state title) because they haven’t gotten to experience this,” Menser said like a true leader. “Looking back on my sophomore year, in the moment that was the entire highlight of my high school career, and obviously this (today) will rival it. But I’m happy for those guys. They worked really hard. I’ve pushed them hard, and they’ve responded and played really well. I’m happy for them more than for myself.”
Menser led with his 140, while senior Carson Lloyd took 13th at 152, and two sophomore teammates Jack Whitmore and David Krusinski placed 23rd and 26th, respectively.
“I’ve had this event circled on my calendar, and I’ve wanted to win this for a long time,” Menser said. “It’s a really strong field and good competition, so it’s exciting to come out on top and know that all my hard work has paid off.”
His next step in the progression is to play golf at Michigan State.
“It’s the best golf team in the state. And ever since I was a little kid I wanted to go play golf at Michigan State,” he said. “It’s a dream come true, and I can’t wait to get there and that be my next step.”
The lead group Saturday featured Metro Detroit powerhouse golfers Peter Roehl, the defending medalist and a senior at Rochester Adams, and Skyline’s Alokam – who took runner up to Menser this weekend. Roehl dropped in a birdie putt bomb on the 18th green to finish with a second-round 70 and sixth place.
“I’m proud of the way I played today,” Alokam said. “Can’t really be mad at a 69. Julian is just such a good player. He really didn’t make any mistakes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get many putts to fall on the back nine to maybe get him nervous and hopefully get some pressure on him. But it’s all good, he’s a great dude and great player.
“The team, for a while there we weren’t putting up good scores, we didn’t break 310 for like a month,” he added. “So, I’m really proud of how we bounced back and how we kind of got it together here at the end of the season.”
Alokam is next headed to Villanova to join his older brother Vimal, a senior to be. “Playing with a sibling at a collegiate level is any kid’s dream,” Vibhav Alokam said.
“CC is always going to be good,” he continued. “They have a ton of good guys, good players. We got them my freshman year, then they got us by one (in 2022) in an incredible comeback. This year they got us again. We battled hard; it’s just the way it falls sometimes. But they deserve it.”
Sophomore Troy Nguyen of Warren De La Salle Collegiate tied for third with senior Matthew Novak of Mattawan. Conner Fox of Lake Orion tied Roehl for fifth.
PHOTOS (Top) Detroit Catholic Central’s Julian Menser follows an approach shot during Saturday’s second round. (Middle) Ann Arbor Skyline’s Vibhav Alokam tees off. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Newberry Follows Record-Setting Medalist to 1st Boys Golf Finals Team Title
By
Jason Juno
Special for MHSAA.com
May 27, 2026
HOUGHTON — Newberry usually doesn’t bother with the mobile app utilized for scoring at the Upper Peninsula Finals because there isn’t cell service on most of the courses they play during the regular season.
But the technology worked fine at Portage Lake Golf Course in Houghton on Wednesday, and when the Division 2 Finals came down to one stroke, being able to track the score in real time made for high drama.
Coach Kenn Depew said it was the most nervous he’s ever been on a golf course. The players, he said, knew one bad shot could ruin the day for the entire team.
It also made the ending even sweeter.
When Newberry freshman Austin Boulton got out of the bunker and made the putt on the final hole, Depew, and the team, could finally exhale.
And celebrate.
“When Austin made that putt, I went up and gave him a big hug and said, ‘You just won a state championship,’” Depew said.
Newberry edged Hancock 316-317, putting an end to the Bulldogs’ two-year reign. The championship also was Newberry’s first in boys golf, with its previous high MHSAA Finals finish second in UP Class C-D in 1992.
“We knew we were in for a tough battle,” Depew said. “We had to play real good because Hancock was the defending champs, I think they returned everyone and they were on their home course. We knew we were in for a battle; we had to shoot some really good numbers.”
Sophomore Jarrett Zellar certainly did that. He shot a 4-under-par 68, the first time anyone in the U.P. in Division 2 had shot in the 60s at the Finals. He ended five shots ahead of Boulton, who finished runner-up with a stellar round of his own.
“Basically my putting was a big factor,” Zellar said. “I never really putted that good before. Somehow everything was clicking.”
Depew stayed away from Zellar as it was pretty apparent early on the kind of day he was going to have.
“I’ve played quite a bit of golf with Jarrett and he was in a zone,” Depew said. “I went and dealt with the other four players because it became very apparent that every stroke was going to matter to us.”
Zellar will be an upperclassmen next year.
“Last year Jarrett was the best freshman I ever coached, and now this year he’s the best sophomore,” Depew said. He didn’t quite finish the word “sophomore,” continuing instead, “He’s the best player I ever coached.”
And Zellar does far more than putt.
“He’s really the total package,” Depew said. “He hits it good off the tee. He hits irons good, he chips good and today he really got hot with the putter as well. So that’s a great combination to have.”
For Zellar, it was also a great combination to win the U.P. Division 2 title individually and with his team.
“It felt pretty good,” he said. “It was the defending team that we beat; we beat them on their home course.”
Everyone stepped up to do that, Depew said, including their No. 4 golfer, Oliver Sevarns, who also hit a big putt late.
Nine golfers finished the day shooting under 80. Ironwood’s Caleb Sprague shot a 76 in a tie for third place with Kirby Storm, who led the way for runner-up Hancock and was the only senior among the top five.
Baraga’s Alden Leiter and Painesdale Jeffers’ Tage Rajala rounded out the top five with 77s.
PHOTOS (Top) Newberry's Jarrett Zellar follows a drive during Wednesday’s Upper Peninsula Division 2 Final at Portage Lake. (Middle) Jeffers' Carson Lesperance tracks one of his shots. (Photos by Jason Juno.)