Preview: Chasing Familiar Favorites
June 2, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Three of last season’s Lower Peninsula boys golf champions are expected to repeat this weekend, and three of last season’s four individual champions also will return.
The lineups at the top of this spring’s MHSAA Finals clearly will be elite – but the reigning champs are no sure things to win again as a number of standouts return throughout the field, including 24 total top-10 placers from a year ago.
Below are some expected team and individual favorites at each Final. First-round play tees off at 9 a.m. Friday, with the final round also beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday. Click for a full list of Finals qualifiers and Regional results.
DIVISION 1 at Katke Golf Course, Ferris State University
Top ranked: 1. Detroit Catholic Central, 2. Hartland, 3. Grosse Pointe South.
Detroit Catholic Central: The Shamrocks just made the MHSAA Final, finishing third at a competitive Regional at Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton with 312 strokes – only two ahead of Novi and six ahead of Detroit U-D Jesuit. Sophomore James Piot tied for sixth at the 2014 Final and finished third at last week’s Regional, with sophomore Ben Smith and senior Glenn Piot also back from last season’s lineup and finishing among the Regional top 25. Senior Will Coffman carded a 78 to finish 12th.
Hartland: The Eagles edged DCC at Oak Pointe to finish second at the Regional after missing Finals weekend a year ago. Bryce Messner made the Finals as an individual last season and finished 13th at last week's Regional atop a lineup of all seniors; Beau Breault led the way with a second-place 72, and all five shot 81 or lower.
Grosse Pointe South: The Blue Devils shot 304 at their Regional at The Orchards in Washington; that score was the third-lowest for all LPD1 Regionals. The top three shooters from last season’s 15th-place Final performance will return this weekend, led by sophomore and Regional medalist John Schoof. Senior David Szymanski also played at last season’s Final and was third at the Regional, and junior David Scupolm finished fifth at the Regional.
Other individuals of note: Only four of last season’s top 10 are back this weekend, but among them are two of five who tied for first after 36 holes and went on to a playoff. Midland Dow senior Ben Roeder won that tie-breaker in three holes and is back as a favorite after finishing second at the Currie Golf Course Regional to Midland sophomore Top Kamnark. Rockford senior Joel Pietilla also played in that 2014 playoff, and he took fifth at his Regional at Grand Haven Golf Course – where Battle Creek Lakeview junior Andrew Walker, tied for ninth at last season’s Final, emerged as Regional champ with a 71. Junior Daniel Settecerri led Bloomfield Hills to the team title at Oak Pointe with a first-place 70, and senior Donnie Trosper helped Canton advance with a third-place finish at Dearborn Country Club by carding a first-place 72.
DIVISION 2 at Forest Akers East, Michigan State University
Top ranked: 1. Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood, 2. DeWitt, 3. East Lansing.
Cranbrook Kingswood: The Cranes claimed their second championship in three seasons in 2014 and won their Regional by 14 strokes featuring three of their top four players from last season’s Final. Senior Dylan Deogun was first at the Regional with a 70 and sophomore Devin Deogun was third with a 75, while senior Mason Schultz carded a 79 to finish eighth as all five players placed among the top 19. Dylan Deogun finished third at last season’s Final, and Devin missed the top 10 by only three strokes as a freshman.
DeWitt: The Panthers won a Regional at Binder Park in Battle Creek that featured three teams ranked among the top six in Division 2. DeWitt shot the low Regional score for all of Division 2, 303, with freshman Joey Croley finishing first individually at 72 and senior teammate Mike Coscarelli coming in second at 73. Coscarelli, senior Owen Beyer and senior Geoffry Croley all are back from the team that finished seventh at last season’s Final, where Geoffry Croley also tied for ninth individually and Beyer missed the top 10 by a stroke.
East Lansing: The Trojans finished runner-up to DeWitt at Binder Park at 319 with senior Joe Croom and sophomore Scott Campbell tying for ninth, each shooting 78. East Lansing also finished just behind the Panthers at last season’s Final, taking eighth, but with four players they’ll return this weekend: Croom, junior Ian Carroll, senior Logan Wilcox and senior Paul Gagnier. Croom placed seventh individually in 2014.
Other individuals of note: Hamilton senior Nick Carlson opened his high school career with an MHSAA individual title in 2012 and will try to end with the same after finishing runner-up both of the last two seasons. Ada Forest Hills Eastern junior Zach Robbins was one of three who tied for fourth at last season’s Final, and like Carlson, won his Regional last week. Mason senior Tristan Brunst was among five who tied for ninth place in 2014, and he returns as an individual qualifier after finishing third at his Regional. Linden senior Devon Cota won the Regional at Jackson’s Calderone Farms with a 75.
DIVISION 3 at Forest Akers West, Michigan State University
Top ranked: 1. Lansing Catholic, 2. Grosse Ile, 3. Jackson Lumen Christi.
Lansing Catholic: The Cougars are looking to win their third straight LP Division 3 title with four of their top five back from last season’s Final. Senior Patrick Gillespie tied for fourth individually in 2014 and senior Niko Voutsaras was tied for fifth after the first round. They finished third and fifth, respectively, last week as Lansing Catholic as a team won the Regional at The Sawmill in Saginaw by 30 strokes at 303. Junior Owen Rush (fifth at Regional) and senior Adam Elias (10th) also started last season; Elias and Voutsaras also were among the starting five on the 2013 championship team.
Grosse Ile: After tying for 11th last season, the Red Devils are expected to make a big jump led by last season’s top Finals shooters Nick Bonamici and Adam Kopp. Grosse Ile finished second at its Regional at Grande Golf Club in Jackson, but only six strokes back of Jackson Lumen Christi. Kopp finished third individually at 74, and Bonamici was tied for seventh at 79. Senior Matt Simone also played a round at last season’s Final, and he was 14th at the Regional.
Jackson Lumen Christi: The Titans finished runners-up to Lansing Catholic the last two seasons after winning four straight titles from 2009-12, and should be in the mix again after winning the Regional at Grande Golf Club with four players from last season’s Final. Seniors Henry Hitt and Tyler Moser were the team’s top scorers at the 2014 Final – Hitt finishing individual runner-up – and they finished tied for fifth and tied for ninth, respectively, at the Regional. Junior Will Double and sophomore Luke Girodat split the fifth spot at last season’s Final, and they too made the top 10 at last week’s Regional, Girodat tying for seventh and Double tying for ninth as well.
Other individuals of note: Five of last season’s top 10 are back this weekend, including four of the top five. Joining Hitt and Gillespie from that group are Macomb Lutheran North junior Scott Sparks, who won last season’s individual championship by seven strokes, and junior Rhet Schrauben, who finished third at the Final. Both were Regional champs last week. Ludington junior Chase Lakari tied for ninth last season and helped his team to a Division 3 Regional-best team score of 302. Senior teammate Spence Hackert was Regional medalist at Katke Golf Course with a 71, and Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central senior Andrew Skibski took the Regional at Grande with a 70.
DIVISION 4 at The Meadows, Grand Valley State University
Top ranked: 1. White Pigeon, 2. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart, 3. North Muskegon.
White Pigeon: The Chiefs are a good pick to repeat as champions with nearly the same lineup as that which won by nine strokes a year ago. White Pigeon won its Regional at Klinger Lake in Sturgis by 11 strokes over No. 4-ranked Kalamazoo Hackett. Sophomore Jorden Olsen finished runner-up at his Regional with a 76, falling in a playoff, and senior Riley Olsen was third at the Regional and tied for sixth at the 2014 Final. Seniors Andrew Mann, Christian Ryall-Shoup and Jack Tippman all also played in last season’s Final, Mann and Ryall-Shoup both rounds and Tippman one of two. Mann tied for eighth among individuals.
Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart: The Irish shot 336 at The Emerald in St. Johns to edge two teams including North Muskegon by only three strokes to win the Regional. Sacred Heart is expected to take a big jump from last season’s 10th place at the Final as it pursues its first MHSAA championship in the sport since 1985. Four starters, all juniors, are back from that team: Ayush Mohan was third at the Regional, Jake Starry was seventh, and Sam Kindermann and Casey Ervin also bring Finals experience.
North Muskegon: The Norsemen finished only 11 strokes back in 2014 and return three of their top five led by junior Will Mierz, who tied for 10th individually last season. Sophomore Connor McEvoy and senior Mitch Edick also played on last year’s fourth-place finisher, and all five players finished among the top 21 at The Emerald.
Other individuals of note: Nine of 12 who finished among the top 10 (with ties) will play this weekend, led by reigning champion Joel Sneed of Leland, runner-up Sam Wagner of Pentwater, third-place Noah Schneider of Jackson Christian and fourth-place Devin Capron of Suttons Bay. Sneed, a senior, won a loaded Regional at Mistwood in Maple City, shooting 72 while East Jordan sophomore Logan Smith was second at 75, Mesick junior Alex Stanton (tied for 10th at 2014 Final) was third at 78 and Capron – also a senior – was fifth at 80 behind senior teammate Lars Thornton. Wagner, a senior, won the Regional at The Emerald, and Schneider, a junior, won the Regional at Polo Fields in Ypsilanti ahead of Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett senior Stephen Campau (tied for eighth at 2014 Final). Clarkston Everest Collegiate junior Tyler Rozwadowski could be among those who break into the mix; he won the Regional at Westwynd in Oakland Township with a 76. So too could Kalamazoo Christian freshman Colin Sikkenga, who won the playoff over White Pigeon's Olsen.
NOTE: West Bloomfield Frankel Jewish Academy will play its Division 4 rounds Wednesday and Friday.
PHOTO: Leland’s Joel Sneed watches a shot during last season’s run to the Lower Peninsula Division 4 individual championship. Sneed has signed with the University of Nebraska.
Clarkston Everest Continues Reign, Glen Lake's Houtteman Masterful as Medalist
By
Tom Lang
Special for MHSAA.com
June 7, 2025
BIG RAPIDS – The 1-2 punch of seniors Parker Stalcup and Will Pennanen led two-time reigning Lower Peninsula Division 4 champion Clarkston Everest Collegiate to add a third-consecutive title Saturday at Katke Golf Course at Ferris State University.
They were two of only three golfers under par for the tournament’s two rounds – Pennanen at 2-under (71-71-142) to finish individual runner-up, and Stalcup at 1-under for third place. The medalist was Michael Houtteman of Maple City Glen Lake with a sizzling 6-under par (70-68-138).
Everest Collegiate led by seven strokes after the first day, with a team total 314 ahead of Grandville Calvin Christian at 321 and McBain Northern Michigan Christian sitting at 322. The Mountaineers piled on even more Saturday to win with 631 strokes to Calvin Christian’s 650 and Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep’s 651. McBain was fourth at 652 and Houtteman’s Glen Lake team took fifth at 657.
Pennanen and Stalcup were part of the Finals lineup all four years of their careers at Everest Collegiate, which began with a Division 4 team runner-up finish when they were freshmen.
“It just means a lot because every team is different and each one is very special,” Pennanen said. “We all played consistent. I don’t think it was even our best, but we did what we needed to, to get the win.
“We are very comfortable playing with a lead,” he added. “That’s how it’s been for us. We always have confidence, we’re always prepared and we try not to focus on outside things too much.”
While Finals championships are special, he agreed that team bonding was as good or better.
“We took a lot of trips this year, spent the night at a lot of courses,” he said. “It was just fun being with the guys.
Stalcup was pleased with a top-three finish individually and thrilled with the team title – yet not surprised by it.
“I think we deserved this,” he said. “We put in a lot of work and a lot of time into practicing. We came out here for the two days and played hard, and we took it home. We knew the potential that we had.”
Stalcup – who finished second individually as a sophomore and fourth last season as Pennanen was the medalist – said it would have been tough to get past Houtteman.
“He was really good this week,” Stalcup said. “He shot 6-under and that’s hard to beat, but good for him.
“This is a tough course. I definitely left a lot of strokes out there – but I’m happy scoring under par for two days. Got the team win, and that’s what I’m really happy about.”
Hopes of trying to overcome Houtteman’s edge were dashed when he scored 4-under par on the front nine Saturday, aided greatly by an eagle on the par-5 third hole.
“Yes, I got off to a hot start and was able to stay comfortable which is nice, and I got the job done,” Houtteman said.
On No. 3, Houtteman hit a drive that split the fairway; his second shot was an iron that kicked up to about 20 feet from the hole, and he sank the long putt.
Much has been made this year about Houtteman’s father, Lee, the team’s coach and a member of the Michigan PGA Hall of Fame as one of Michigan's best players who has also done well nationally in PGA of America events.
“Expectations are expectations,” Micheal Houtteman said about what others think about family bloodlines. “I’m never looking too deep into expectations. I just try to go out and breathe, and if I play good, I play good. And if I don’t, I know what to work on. If I play good maybe I can lift some hardware.
“His experience has greatly affected my game (for the good),” Michael added. “He not only knows how to be a swing coach, but he’s a good father and an unbelievable player – he knows all three, which you need to be able to do to be successful. I did not feel pressured to play golf, but I do like fishing. I came out of the womb with a club in my hand just because I enjoyed it. Never felt pressured.”
The Air Force Academy is his next destination. He said part of what pointed him in that direction was his grandfather, a former U.S. Navy aviator.
“The job opportunities are amazing (in the military) and I get to play some high-level golf – that I’m excited for,” he said, while noting that he is looking forward to returning to Michigan for the annual Folds of Honor Collegiate hosted by Michigan State. Houtteman finished runner-up (even par) in a high school event at American Dunes this spring against most of the top teams in Michigan.
“Maybe I can take my (new Air Force) teammates up north a couple hours from there, maybe go fishing,” he said.
As popular as golf is in the state of Michigan, Houtteman looks at it differently than many.
“My favorite part is the break you get in the winter. You’re hitting in the simulator, which is a little different, but it lets you dial in on your mechanics and allows you to come out swinging once you adjust.”
Living in Glen Lake is also a bonus in his mind.
“One thing I enjoy is stepping away from cellular devices and just (being) able to breathe some fresh air,” Houtteman said. “I’m thankful to live in a very natural area up north with lots of trees, and it’s pretty rural. I can see how people who live in cities (want to) go play golf and get away from everything else.”
(Click for more photos from High School Sports Scene.)