Ben Tinkle
HAGERSTOWN, Ind. – The bar for success within the Hagerstown boys golf program continues to rise.
“Having four of our top five back and the way our season ended with the success we had last year, it obviously sets the bar higher,” Hagerstown Head Coach Bill Mullin said. “We’ve got to continue to work hard and sacrifice our time. This group is willing to do that.”
Last season, Hagerstown was fourth in the Tri-Eastern Conference Tournament, but the Tigers rebounded and finished third in the sectional to qualify as a team for the regional.
“We do bring back quite a bit of experience,” Mullin said. “The conference is going to be competitive again just because these kids know each other and the courses.”
We’ve got to take care of our own business,” Mullin continued.
Jonathan Clark
The Tigers are led by a pair of seniors.
“Jonathan Clark and Ben Tinkle and the kind of leaders they are will dictate what kind of season we are going to have,” Mullin said. “Both of them are two-time all-conference.”
“Ben has won the county tourney twice and Jonathan got second in the sectional by one shot,” Mullin added.
Tinkle, who recently announced his intention to play golf at Indiana University-East neat year, became the first Hagerstown boys golfer to qualify for the state finals last spring.
“We’ve got to build upon that,” Mullin said of his desire to have the entire team make it that far.
In addition to Tinkle and Clark, the Tigers also return sophomores Caleb Cochran and Kyle Cochran.
The other sophomores on the squad are Kevin Beeson, Christian James, Nate Burns, Austin Herr and Luke Lannan. The freshmen are Luke Girdley and Alec Shiling.
Hagerstown opens the season on Tuesday at Shenandoah.