Successful Shamrocks Shine Once More
June 10, 2017
By Keith Dunlap
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING – For the past three seasons, the biggest drama with Detroit Catholic Central’s boys golf team hasn’t been whether or not it would win tournaments it competed in.
Instead, it was a matter of how much the Shamrocks would win by and which player in its loaded lineup would be the medalist.
It’s been a constant battle of bragging rights for a Catholic Central team which entered this weekend’s Lower Peninsula Division 1 Final at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers West having won all of its tournaments the past two years and with each starter finishing as medalist at least once during the run.
“That’s what we strive for,” senior Sean Niles said.
On Saturday, Niles ended up getting the final bragging rights at the finale for a senior class that couldn’t have been much more decorated.
Niles won the individual Division 1 title, shooting a two-day score of 139 to prevail by one shot over Plymouth senior Justin Kapke (70-70).
Grosse Pointe South sophomore Coalter Smith was third with a 144 (71-73).
Catholic Central had two more golfers finish among the top five individually – seniors James Piot and Ben Smith.
Piot was fourth at 146 (72-74), and Smith was fifth at 148 (71-77).
Needless to say, all that firepower helped Catholic Central do what was expected all season, which was win a third straight team championship.
The Shamrocks finished with a total of 581 strokes, ahead of runner-up Grosse Pointe South’s 597.
Plymouth took third with a 610, Clarkston was fourth with a 619 while Rockford rounded out the top five with a 622.
It was the definition of a bittersweet moment for Catholic Central coach Mike Anderson, who while celebrating another Finals title with his players also had to come to grips that it was the last time he got to coach a senior class that graduated with three MHSAA championships and a runner-up finish.
Catholic Central will send three of those golfers to Division I college programs with Piot going to Michigan State, Smith to Georgia Tech and Niles to Oakland University.
Senior Sean Sooch will play at Grand Valley State.
“They are my friends and my family, and we will be in touch with them for the rest of their lives,” Anderson said. “It’s a special group.”
Anderson said it was actually the finish three years ago when these seniors were freshmen that proved to be the driving force behind their success.
In 2014, Catholic Central finished one shot behind champion Swartz Creek, a painful memory the Shamrocks didn’t forget.
“That was a tough pill to swallow, and they responded,” Anderson said. “They looked toward that as something they didn’t want to happen again, and it didn’t.”
Niles led the charge for the Shamrocks this weekend, following up a 2-under par 70 on Friday with a 3-under par 69 at a difficult Forest Akers West course.
“It is a strategy course,” Niles said. “You are basically doing all you can to keep it in the fairway. It’s a placement course. That is all it is.”
Kapke had a chance to tie Niles on the final hole and force a playoff, but couldn’t connect on what was roughly a 20-foot putt.
PHOTOS: (Top) Detroit Catholic Central, including medalist Sean Niles holding the trophy, stands together a final time after winning a Division 1 title. (Middle) Birmingham Brother Rice’s Brendan O’Rourke punches out of a bunker. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Marquette Boys Complete Another Finals Sweep, Team Championship Repeat
By
Adam Hinch
Special for MHSAA.com
May 28, 2026
HARRIS — It was a great day for golf with temperatures in the 70s and light winds for the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1 Final – and Marquette’s boys played to match to outstanding conditions.
The Sentinels backed up last year’s title as they ended the day with a first-place 295 strokes, finishing ahead of second-place Escanaba at 314 and third-place Houghton with 316. Gladstone finished fourth with 317 and Sault Ste. Marie was fifth with 322.
Marquette junior Seve Swanson had the best day of all in the field as he posted a score of 70 with four birdies.
“The depth of our roster was the key to success today,” Marquette coach Ben Smith said. “Everyone stepped up, and our seniors set the tone and (I’m) just happy for our players.”
Swanson had to use some damage control after a double bogey on the 14th hole. He bounced back with a birdie and three pars to finish the round.
Marquette senior Boden Moore, the 2025 medalist, scored a 72, highlighted by an eagle on the 11th hole – a 501-yard par 5 – and a pair of birdies on holes 9 and 18. Senior teammate Jack Pond also had a good day carding a 74 with a trio of birdies as he rebounded from a tough start on the front nine that included a pair of bogeys and a double bogey all coming during the first six holes.
Escanaba junior Jared Plourde put up the best performance of the day for his team with a score of 74. Plourde got a birdie early, on the third hole, but closed out the front nine with a pair of bogeys. On the back nine, Plourde birdied on the 11th but had bogeys on the next two holes before closing the day with five consecutive pars.
“Our boys played exceptional today,” Escanaba coach Jake Berlinski said. “Jared finished the day tied for third. I couldn't be happier for him and for our team for the way we played today.”
Carson Artley placed fifth on the day with a score of 75 with birdies on the first and ninth holes.
“Carson was right there today,” Berlinski said. “He is one of four guys coming back next year, so our outlook is strong as we move forward to next year.”
Gladstone freshman Karson Delaney tied for sixth on the day, with four birdies and despite a pair of double bogeys on the back nine.
“The driver was perfect on every hole today,” Delaney said. “The putter was good too, but the wedges were shaky today.”
Kingsford senior Owen Edwards also posted a score of 76 with a pair of birdies on holes 6 and 17. Escanaba senior Owen LaBonte ended his high school career in a three-way tied for eighth place with senior Dane Saari from Negaunee and Robert Loukus from Calumet.
Sarri had four birdies on the day, and Loukus had birdies at 9 and 13.
(Photo by Adam Hinch.)