Blair Oaks excited to start golf season

In this March 2019 file photo, Jake Closser of Blair Oaks rolls a putt during the Helias Invitational at Jefferson City Country Club.
In this March 2019 file photo, Jake Closser of Blair Oaks rolls a putt during the Helias Invitational at Jefferson City Country Club.

Like many spring sports teams, the Blair Oaks boys golf team has enjoyed taking advantage of the rather favorable weather Mid-Missouri has experienced during the first three weeks of preseason practice.

"With what happened last year, we don't take anything for granted," Blair Oaks coach Leroy Bernskoetter said. "So when those nice days are there, we play."

The Falcons are scheduled to open their season with a meet this afternoon at Eldon, their only competition of the week. They then host Russellville, Versailles and Southern Boone in a quad next Monday at Oak Hills Golf Center.

Blair Oaks will begin the season with 13 golfers, including four of the five golfers who competed in the 2019 Class 2 District 4 Tournament.

"This squad has really put in the effort," Bernskoetter said.

The Falcons' leading returner is senior Jake Closser, who finished first at the district tournament and went on to tie for seventh place in the Class 2 state tournament.

However, Closser wasn't able to begin practice with the golf team until Monday. He was a starter on the Blair Oaks boys basketball team that finished its season Friday in Springfield.

"Jake's a heck of an athlete," Bernskoetter said. "Good grief, look at what he does in football and basketball, and he's an all-state golfer. We know it's going to take him a little while to get back into the swing of things."

J.J. Quehl, a junior, was a sectional qualifier for the Falcons two seasons ago, while senior Brady Kicker and junior Todd Bisges also competed in the district tournament on a young 2019 Blair Oaks squad.

Sophomore Dylan Bryan will look to round out the top five on the varsity level.

Other golfers who will see some action at the JV level are junior Jake Kliethermes, sophomores Chase Distler and Alec Wieberg and freshmen Nick Closser and Sam Kliethermes.

"They stay after practice and work on some things after they've gone out and played," Bernskoetter said. "We're there until it's dark, which is good when you almost have to run them off."

Blair Oaks finished sixth in the 2019 Tri-County Conference meet. Bernskoetter said it's tough to tell where the Falcons fit in with the rest of the conference's talent, since several golfers from that tournament have gone on to graduate.

This year's conference meet is April 28 in Boonville.

"I would think some of the scores we have had in practice are going to make us pretty dang competitive," Bernskoetter said.

Postseason advancement will also be different this year. Only the top 18 individuals, including ties, will advance straight to the state tournament, as the sectional round has been eliminated. Teams also need to have at least four golfers in the top 18 at districts to post a team score at state, eliminating the old format of the top two teams in the standings automatically advancing to the next round.

"We won't know until March 31 what class we're going to be in or who we're going to be with in districts," Bernskoetter said. " I told the guys if they learn to shoot those low 80s, there's a good chance for them. We'll see what happens."