Grafton pair earn NSC golf honors

Grafton High School senior golfers Tyler Tsui and Daniel Schmitz worked on their games last summer, making up for the spring sports season being canceled, and it paid off last week.

Tsui shot 86 and came in 19th in the North Shore Conference Meet on the Irish Course at Whistling Straits and Schmitz shot 90 and came in 23rd.

That earned Tsui second-team honors, and Schmitz made the third team.

Coach Phil Trottier said that’s only the second time he had a golfer make the second team in his 11 years leading the Hawks’ program and the fourth with two players earning all-conference honors.

All-conference teams are determined by scores compiled at conference meets, with five players making each the first, second and third teams.

“I was happy for them,” Trottier said of his two honorees. “They worked hard last summer. They put the time in and were rewarded for it.”

The pair helped the Hawks to 355 strokes, the lowest Grafton has shot in the three times they played the course under Trottier, which was good for fourth place. Homestead won with 318, followed by Cedarburg, 334; and Slinger, 341.

Hartford had 363, followed by Whitefish Bay, 364; West Bend West, 380; West Bend, East, 384; Port Washington, 396; and Nicolet, 398.

Grafton’s Max Bailke shot 87. Noah Scott shot 92, and Gavin Van Sluys shot 99.

It was a nice day, Trottier said, but the wind off the lake was enough to be a factor. Golfers played the green tees, third-longest of the five at the course. Total yardage was 6,366, which is the equivalent of playing the back tees at Hawthorne Hills.

But this course — next to the famous Whistling Straits along Lake Michigan that has hosted three PGA Championships and will host the Ryder Cup in September — is a little different than what high schoolers usually play, given the hazards and hills.

“There’s no gimmes out there. It’s designed to kind of deceive you. It makes you think there’s not a lot of space to hit certain spots when there is,” Trottier said.

“My guys did a pretty good job of locking in on their target and staying committed to it.”

Trottier highlighed Bailke’s 87. He’s a sophomore but with last season being canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Bailke is in his first high school golf season.

 He started with a triple bogey on the first hole, but bounced back with two pars and shot 41 on the back nine.

“Mentally, I thought they handled it very well. There’s no one that goes out there and doesn’t hit shots off line. It’s easy to do. It’s how you recover from that,” Trottier said of his team.

Grafton was to host a Division 2 regional at Fire Ridge in the Town of Grafton on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Port was to play in the Division 1 Homestead regional at the North Shore Country Club. Sectional competition is Tuesday, June 8, and Wednesday, June 9.

For Port, Lauren Reif led the team with 90. Noah Doherty had 93. Quinn Barrington had 104. Daniel Hansen had 109, and David Krueger had 118.

New Port golf coach Rory Palubiski is pleased with the progress of his team from tee to green and in between the ears this season.

“I’ve had an amazing time this year coaching these students and feel that I’m blessed to coach them. I’m proud of what they’ve accomplished and cannot extend how impressed I am with their positive and fun and kind personalities,” he said.

“I’ve witnessed some of the other teams players have attitudes and not be pleasant and can honestly say that our team always shows great spirit and loves competing with the talent around them.

Doherty, a sophomore, is the Pirates’ No. 1 player.

“He is capable of shooting par or slightly above but needs a little more time to develop and become the player is destined to become. His typical scores are the high 30s to mid 40s for 9 holes,” Palubiski said.

Reif, a senior, is at No. 2 and is “truly one of the sweetest and most pleasant people I’ve ever met or had the privilege to coach,” Palubiski said.

“Lauren is capable of shooting in the low 40s for nine holes but has struggled this season and not playing up to her potential. I believe she’s saving her best for last.”

At No. 3, Barrington, a junior, has been a pleasant surprise with consistent scores in the mid-40s for nine holes. He too is a positive student that knows he’s capable of playing better, but always gives his best,” Palubiski said.

Senior Andrew Schmitz is the No. 4 player and has struggled in the North Shore Conference meets, Palubiski said.

Hansen, a sophomore, is at No. 5 “and like Lauren, is truly a super sweet and kind person who really tries hard every day to become better. Being that he’s a sophomore, I know there’s an opportunity to watch him grow and coach him into a quality player,” Palubiski said.

The sixth and seventh players rotate between Krueger and Keegan Przbyla.

“Both of these kids are fun and positive and bring some awesome humor to the gang to help us all relax and remember that we’re here to have fun,” Palubiski said.

On May 21, Doherty shot 91 at an invite at West Bend Lakes and Barrington was one shot back at 92.

Reif had a 99, Hansen had 108 and Schmitz had 128.

At Brown Deer on May 24, Doherty shot 42 and Reif had a 48. Schmitz had a 50, Barrington had a 51 and Hansen had a 53.