For the three area boys golf teams set to compete Thursday's regional in Fort Wayne, the experience levels may be different, but the enthusiasm is the same.
Tomorrow's regional, hosted by Homestead at Orchard Ridge Country Club, will be old hat for Warsaw and Wawasee, but something new for the Manchester Squires.
"This is a first for us in the last 11 years, and prior to that, you'd have to go back 20 to 25 years when Manchester got past sectionals," said 11th-year Manchester coach Gary Goshert. "I know we've had good teams in the past, and in the last 11 years, but it's difficult to get through such a tough sectional as the one in Warsaw."And for a school approximately a quarter the size of Warsaw, reaching the regional takes on even more meaning.
"For us, and a lot of other small schools, it's extremely exciting and gratifying," said Goshert. "We want to approach this tournament like any other and play the golf course the best we can."
Goshert took his five-man roster, which will return four next season, to the site of the regional Tuesday, and Goshert said the practice round was "a learning experience" and "very enlightening."
When the real thing comes tomorrow morning, Goshert is confident his guys will bear down and do what they've done all season long.
"We're going to approach this tournament just as we have from the beginning of the season," said Goshert. "We've been playing 18-hole tournaments since the season began in early April. We had one week off prior to sectionals, and that was for graduation."
While Manchester's regional appearance will be somewhat new, it has become sort of routine for the Warsaw Tigers. Last Saturday's sectional title, which the Tigers won on their home course with a 317, built the team tally to 22. Since the 1960s, a Warsaw team has failed to reach the regional only three times.
"The regional isn't as stressful for us, as it may be for other teams," Warsaw coach Ben Barkey said. "We just want to go out and play golf."
And with that kind of mentality, Barkey would like to see his team place in the top three, therefore advancing to the June 12 state finals at the Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin.
"This is the part of the season when the guys know they have to go in day-in and day-out trying to get better," said Barkey.
The Wawasee Warriors may not have the number of championships as their Northern Lakes Conference mates from Warsaw, but they still have a strong postseason history. In the last seven years, the Warriors have won the regional championship twice, while qualifying for state a total of three times.
"We're going to go on the course Thursday morning and try to shoot a low score," Wawasee coach Steve Cornerstone said.
For Coverstone's squad to shoot as low as he would like, it will need to avoid a problem it ran into at the Warsaw Sectional - penalty shots.
"The key will be to keep the ball in play," Coverstone said.
And by keeping the ball in the play, the team without a senior could find itself competing in the state finals.
"These kids are a tight-knit bunch," Coverstone said of his team, which features two juniors, two sophomores and a freshman. "They've been playing together since fourth and fifth grade. We haven't had the consistency we want, but we could get out (of regionals) on any given day."
That "day" will have to come against a tough field, featuring sixth-ranked Homestead, Ft. Wayne Carroll and a few other NLC teams.
"It is Homestead's home course, so they're going to be really tough," said Coverstone. "There are a lot of good teams (at the regional) that have been like us - up and down. Northridge and Concord will be ready, as will Fort Wayne Carroll, who's been playing very well."
Barkey is also aware of the stiff competition, but with a good track record against those teams, he's looking forward to the challenge.
"There are five or six teams that will be the better competition," said Barkey. "Wawasee, Homestead, Northridge and Concord are the ones that jump out at me. We've already played the course at the Homestead Invitational (on May 5), where we tied Wawasee and Northridge, and beat Concord. But all the teams at regionals are good. We just need to play our best."
The competition will be stiff at the regional, but then again, it's supposed to be. If not, there wouldn't be any excitement in reaching this level.
"It's pretty neat and very special," Goshert said of advancing to the regional.
Along with the three local teams competing, Triton's T.J. Carpenter and Tippecanoe Valley's Trey Stoll will also be teeing off at the regional as part of the individual tournament. Carpenter advanced to the regional by posting the low score at the Warsaw Sectional, going two-under par at Stonehenge with a 69.
Stoll also placed in the top three at sectionals, shooting a 73, good for second place. If Carpenter and Stoll can once again manage to finish in the top three at the regionals they too will advance to the state finals.
