Golf team looks to take all three titles in the same year

By Matt Phelps
Mercer Island Reporter

The Mercer Island High School boys’ golf team has won the KingCo, district and state titles during the past three seasons. But oddly enough, each came in separate years. This season the team wants a sweep.

“Our goal is to win everything,” said Islander senior Paul Mitzel. “Our mantra should be ‘get done, all in one.’”

But the Islanders have some changes within their roster and under their tees. Mercer Island was forced to change its home course for the third time in five years. The Islanders called Fairwood Golf and Country Club home during the 2005 and 2006 season. Along with Mercer Island, Fairwood has also been the long-time home of the Kentridge High School boys. Club officials decided that there weren’t enough tee times for members during the fall, and one of the schools had to move. Mercer Island was the logical choice.

“Twin Rivers [golf course] was the only one that didn’t have a high school golf team,” said Mercer Island head coach Tyson Peters. “Our junior varsity has played there for awhile, so it felt right.”

Twin Rivers, located near Carnation, seems like a long way from Mercer Island. But the drive isn’t too bad, according to the team.

“The commute time is comparable to Fairwood,” said Peters.

The change of venue brings a new course.

“Fairwood was a challenge because it was narrow,” said Peters. “Twin Rivers is not. We just need to have discipline and hit our drives straight. We will have to do that at places like the Plateau.”

The Islanders will have ample time to practice keeping those drives straight as they will be able to practice more often with less competition for tee times.

“Any time you can get on the course, it will benefit your game,” said Mitzel. “Being able to play every day is a big plus. Twin Rivers will yield some low scores. We had the top six -scoring average in KingCo last year, and I don’t think that is going to change.”

Along with Mitzel, the Islanders will have seniors Sean Kitamura, Dan Kern and Brian Tolkin back this year. Kern and Tolkin qualified for districts, while Kitamura played most of the season in the top six for Mercer Island.

“We will have a good shot at repeating as KingCo champions,” said Peters.

Along with those veterans, Islander freshmen Charlie Kern and Kyle Code will join the team and look to crack the varsity roster. Both golfers’ brothers have siblings who have played for the team.

“They both finished in the top five for scoring during preseason tryouts,” said Peters. “The other kids knew of them but that really turned some heads.”

Kern brings a lot of momentum after completing his first championship with the Washington State Golfing Association during early August.

Mercer Island will have stiff competition in league play from Skyline, Bellevue and Newport. Skyline has become a big rival of the Islanders during the past decade, with Mercer Island winning at the Plateau Golf Course just once during that time.