by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Coming off the best two NJCAA Division II finishes in history, Gary Shrader has set the bar at a new level for his 2016-2017 Kansas City Kansas Community College golf team.
Fifth in 2014 and ninth last year in a national tournament dominated by teams led by international standouts, Shrader has done it each year with all Kansas high school graduates and with one exception, that won’t change this fall.
“In our first qualifier at Dub’s Dread, we had seven of our 10 players shoot in the low to mid-70s, which is pretty solid,” said Shrader, who is in his 17th season as head coach.
The Blue Devils will build around three returnees with national tournament experience, Jeremy Dunham of Derby and Matt Thayne of Hesston, both of whom played last season, and Marc McClain of Bonner Springs, a member of the 2014 team.
“With the experience those three have in post-season competition, we should have a pretty good nucleus around which to build,” Shrader said. “Both Thayne and Dunham are solid players who played some of their best golf in the regional and national tournaments.” Playing as redshirt sophomores, Dunham had three rounds in the 70s in the national tournament in finishing 52nd; Thayne two rounds in tying for 72nd.
As a freshman, McClain was a member of the fifth place team in the national and was runnerup in the regional tournament with rounds of 70-77-74-221.
Two other sophomores return, Evan Shartzer of Blue Valley North, who redshirted last season, and Jack Barnhart of Hesston. They are joined by five freshmen, four from Kansas – Cody Foster of Shawnee Heights; Zach Miller of Anderson County High in Greeley; and two from Wichita, Nick Wagner of Maise South and Bobby Armstrong of Bishop Carroll.
Foster was a redshirt last season while Miller, Wagner and Armstrong are true freshmen
“All are out of good high school programs,” Shrader said. “Foster comes from the same program that produced Gary Woodland at Shawnee Heights.”
The fifth freshman is Micah Morris, who was home-schooled in Guthrie, Okla. Older and in construction in recent years, he’s moved to Kansas City and enrolled at KCKCC in pursuit of an associate’s degree.
“A good, hard worker, he’s always the first to arrive and the last to leave,” Shrader said.
All 10 players will be in action when the Blue Devils open the season in the Ottawa Invitational Monday and Tuesday at Eagle Bend golf course near Lawrence.
“We’ll be taking all 10 to five events this fall with the hopes they will use those opportunities to separate themselves so next spring when the conference season starts we’ll know can play the best in competition,” Shrader said.
“Right now, everyone is getting to know each other. The big thing everyone at this level has to learn to keep the ball in play and out of trouble. Quit hitting the ball so far and hit it where you want it. I think it’s going to be a competitive team and a good group of kids who seem to enjoy each other when they’re playing.”
Kansas City Kansas Community College
2016 Fall Golf Schedule
Sept. 12-13 – Ottawa Invitational, Eagle Bend
Sept. 18-20 – Coffeyville Invitational, Bartlesville, Okla.
Sept. 25-26 – KCKCC Invitational, Rolling Meadows, Junction City
Oct. 3-4 – Missouri Valley Invitational, Marshall, Mo.
Oct. 17-18 – Park University Invitational, National and Deuce