A total of 38 players will be trying out for the Ankeny boys’ golf team on Monday and Tuesday at Otter Creek Golf Course.
“Then we’ll cut down to 24 (boys) as that is the number the golf course will allow us to have,” said Ankeny coach Mike Weddingfeld.
This should be one of Weddingfeld’s most experienced teams. Seniors Drew Hensen and Jacob Adams are back from last year’s squad along with juniors Evan Hodapp, Duncan Beelner and Caden Weddingfeld.
They all played in at least 12 events a year ago, helping the Hawks to a 3-5 record in the CIML Conference.
“I am really wanting all my returning guys to step up and be leaders,” Weddingfeld said. “Drew and Jacob have the most experience being seniors and playing varsity the longest, but the others now have some varsity experience and all have been playing in tournaments over the summer and had some quality finishes so I expect all of the guys to be more seasoned and expect them to step up to lead the team together.”
Hensen led the team last season with a 74.0 average. He shot a 68 to earn medalist honors in a triangular meet against Ankeny Centennial and Urbandale, leading the Hawks to a pair of wins and a school-record score on their home course of 284.
Hensen placed fourth at the conference meet with a 71 and was also a three-time runner-up. He carded a 69 to place second in the Turk Bowman Invitational at Veenker Golf Course in Ames, where he led his team to a sixth-place finish.
Hodapp was Ankeny’s No. 2 player with a 78.5 average. He fired a 70 to earn runner-up honors in a triangular meet against Dowling Catholic and Valley at Willow Creek.
Hodapp later took sixth in a Class 4A district meet at Bent Tree Golf Club in Council Bluffs, where he shot a 73 to qualify for state as an individual. However, the Hawks missed qualifying as a team by one stroke.
Hodapp then went on to tie for 58th place in Class 4A. He carded rounds of 83 and 84 for a 167 total at Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids.
Beelner placed third on the team with an 80.0 average. He fired a 70 to earn runner-up honors in the wins over Centennial and Urbandale.
Adams was the team’s No. 4 player with an 80.2 average, followed by Weddingfeld with an average of 81.7. They both shot a 78 at the district meet.
Senior Gunnar Breding is also back for the Hawks. He played in two events last year and posted an 85.0 average.
“Gunnar saw some varsity action early in the season before dealing with a back injury,” Weddingfeld said.
Ankeny will open the season on Aug. 14 by competing in the Jesse Peck Invitational at Briarwood Golf Club. This will be the first time that Weddingfeld’s squad has played in Centennial’s tournament that is named after the ex-Hawk and Jaguar standout.
Ankeny is seeking its first trip to the state meet since 2020, when the Hawks placed fifth in Class 4A.
“Our goals are the same as they are every year: we want to be competitive every time we play, we want to win conference, we want to make it to state and of course the overall goal is to win a state championship,” Weddingfeld said. “This year the state tournament is being held at Otter Creek so this would be a great year to do just that, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves so we will take it one day at a time and one tournament at a time and focus on getting better every day. If we can do that, the successes will come.”