Taylor leads Mona Shores to dominating victory in GMAA Golf Meet

By Ron Rop
LocalSportsJournal.com

MUSKEGON — Nico Taylor was getting a bit frustrated with the way he was golfing on Wednesday in the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association Golf Meet.

So, the Mona Shores senior texted his coach, Scott Volkmann, and summoned him to meet on No. 13.

Taylor had bogeyed No. 10 and double-bogeyed No. 11 and that prompted the well-timed text.

“He said he was struggling and went over and we had an exchange on the 13th fairway and he birdied his next three,” Volkmann said. “He just needed a reset. He’s a great player and tough conditions. I’m just happy he had a chance to get medalist honors.”

Those three straight birdies carried Taylor to win a 1-over-par 73 at Lincoln Golf Club.

“The front nine I just tried to make pars,” said Taylor, who will take his talents to Saginaw Valley State next fall. “I started the back off terrible. I started bogey, double. I talked with my coach on 13 and he just reminded me to keep hanging in there. I started making good shots and the putts started going in.”

That started with a 4-foot birdie putt on 13, a 3-footer on No. 14 and he chipped in from 35 yards out after taking a drop because his third shot ended up on the cart path.

Taylor, who follows in the footsteps of his dad, Tim, and brother, Nathan, as city golf champions, led the Sailors to their fourth straight city title with a total of 320. Whitehall finished second at 345 and Western Michigan Christian was third with 355.

“Certainly tough conditions and not our best stuff, but we won and we’ll take it,” said Volkman, whose team had the top two finishers in Taylor and Lucas Dethloff. “Lucas has been in our top 3 and he’ll stay in our top 3. Good to see one of the guys who is not a senior playing well.”

It’s been a solid season thus far for the Sailors.

“Our team last year had four seniors and we lost a lot if talent and experience,” Taylor said. “Our team is just trying to get more experience and I’m trying to lead them and try to show them it’s not the hardest thing in the world – it’s a super hard game – but we tend to make it a little too hard on ourselves.”

Medalist Nico Taylor with Mona Shores golf coach Scott Volkmann (Photo/Leo Valdez)

The top 10 golfers included: Taylor, Mona Shores, 73; Lucas Dethloff, Mona Shores 79; Brady Tate, Whitehall, 80; Avery Freeland, North Muskegon, 83; James Ackley, Mona Shores 83; Carson Andree, Mona Shores 85; Christian Brown, Reeths-Puffer 85; Drew Mabrito, Ravenna 86; Landon Griffin, Whitehall 86; Liam Szegda, Whitehall 87; Ashton Leffring, Western Michigan Christian 87.

Team Scores
Mona Shores 320; Whitehall 345; Western Michigan Christian 355; Reeths-Puffer 370; Fruitport 371; Ravenna 380; Muskegon Catholic 388; North Muskegon 389; Muskegon Catholic 388; tie, Oakridge and Montague 399; Holton 491; Orchard View, Did not have full team.

Mona Shores: Nico Taylor 73; Lucas Dethloff 79; James Ackley 83; Carson Andree 85; Thomas Stewart 94.
Whitehall: Brady Tate 80; Landon Griffin 86; Liam Szegda 87; Braeden Bond 92; Mason Mulnix 93.
Western Michigan Christian: Ashton Leffring 87; Jared Olsen 88; Lucas Dick 89; Fisher Campbell 91; Jared Binnendyk 97.
Reeths-Puffer: Kristian Brown 85; Dylan Panozzo 89; Jacob Pierce 97; Tanner Bonjernoor 99; Mason Cregg 110.
Fruitport: Chaseton Sullivan 88; Hayden Winskas 93; Andree Cribley-Cotto 95; Macen Benderman 95; Tyler Carlson 101.
Ravenna: Drew Mabrito 86; Shea Iwaniw 95; Dylan May 99; Cayden Caniff 100; Peyton Block 105.
Muskegon Catholic: William Gowin 90; Q. Lorenz 99; Will Fedewa 99; Ross Sanford 100; Sam Fedewa 107.
North Muskegon: Avery Freeland 83; Logan Pike 88; Tate Pannucci 106; Ellis Archer 112; Wyatt Brock 115.
Oakridge: Travis Lewis 92; Tyler Lewis 92; Brayden Mahnke 99; Justin Cryderman 116; Garrison Klinge 119.
Montague: Owen Raeth 90; Ben Weesies 101; Bucky Aney 104; Trevin Silvers 104; Joel Booth 105.
Holton: Mike Swanson 101; Rylee Pie.rce 113; Tuff Scott 132; Josh Bunker 145.
Orchard View: Trenton Hanks 95; Ethan Hodges 101.