By John RittenhouseThe Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth golf program will be playing catch-up with area programs before the 2004 season begins.While most area teams opened practice March 22, H-BC-E conducted its first official practice Monday due to a prior commitment made by Patriot coach Tim Lange.For the second straight season, Lange accepted the position as the director of the H-BC-E spring play, which wrapped up with showings over the weekend.In the absence of the coach, H-BC-E players made the best of the situation by taking advantage of decent weather conditions to play area courses in recent weeks.Since the Patriots will have six official practices before the season begins with a match in Lake Park, Iowa, Tuesday, the players will have some time to find their swings.According to pre-season sign-up sheets, the Patriots will open the campaign with a 23-player roster. Sixteen boys and seven girls have delivered intent to play for the program this spring.The H-BC-E boys are coming off a nice 2003 campaign that featured the Patriots compiling a 9-10 record.The Patriots placed third in the annual Red Rock Conference meet, and finished the year by placing fifth in Sub-Section 10.Unfortunately for H-BC-E, it did lose six key players to graduation last season.Kyle Sammons, who placed fourth at the RRC event individually, leads the list lost seniors from 2003.Dustin Bonnema, Clint Roozenboom, Dusty Seachris and Sammons were senior members of H-BC-E’s sub-section team last season. Aaron Blank and Blake Brommer were other senior members of the program.H-BC-E’s 2004 roster consists of two seniors, one junior, four sophomores, five freshmen, two eighth-graders and two seventh-graders.Tom Janssen, a senior from Ellsworth, returns with the most experience. Janssen, a four-year member of the program, placed fifth at the RRC meet and played with the sub-section squad last season.Senior Jeremy Elbers and junior Kenny Bittner are round out the team’s upperclassmen.Sophomore members of the 2004 squad include Nick Deutsch, Ben Herman, Jason Martens and Andrew Blank.Freshmen Nick Nolte, Stephan Harsma, Tom Scholten, Chris Ahrenholtz and Yancy Parrow will be battling for varsity playing time this season.Eighth-graders Sean Goedtel and Grant Hoogendoorn, and seventh-graders Justin Brandt and Tyler Paulsen round out the roster.With seven H-BC-E girls making the commitment to play golf this season, the Patriots will be able to fill a complete varsity, or, a complete B squad team for the first time in years.Freshman Alesa Arends is the oldest girl on the roster.Eighth-graders Lucy Larson, Brittany Boeve, Jessica Randolph and Misty Wright are other members of the team.Raya Lane and Rachelle McGowan cap the roster.
