Out of the gate, the Iola High golf team faces a few challenges, but none so insurmountable as to affect their goals, said Coach Jeremy Sellman.

The Mustangs will be operating without a home course until at least May, due to renovations at Allen County Country Club’s golf course.

The boys are aiming for their third consecutive Pioneer League title.

“It’s going to be hard to three-peat as league champions due to the 8-ball we’re behind,” Coach Sellman said. “I’ve told the kids, ‘You’ve got to take advantage of every time we’re on a course and focus on the opportunities of getting out to swing some clubs.’”

“It’s unfortunate, but once they get the project at the country club completed, it’s going to make the course way better. It will also give us better conditions to practice in that it will prepare us for larger, more difficult golf courses.”

Despite graduating IHS mainstays and state qualifiers Xander Sellman and Chris Holloway last spring, Sellman feels confident the team’s next generation of Mustangs will rise to the challenge of filling their spots.

Sellman noted junior Brennen Coffield and senior Ethan Harris’s chances of qualifying for state.

With the program in a bit of disarray due to holding practices 30 minutes away in Garnett, Sellman credited Harris for providing leadership as team captain.

“He really worked on his game last year. He qualified for state and he hopes to qualify again this year,” Sellman said. “He wants to go out with a bang his senior year. He’s also taken control, making sure kids are getting to practice, making sure they have their equipment. He got a couple of kids to come out. He’s a hard-working kid and I don’t think anybody besides Brennen works harder than him at golf.”

As for Coffield, Sellman believes the junior is also a virtual lock for state barring some unforeseen catastrophe. With Xander Sellman now playing at Nebraska, Sellman never wavered from his belief Coffield could fill the role as Iola’s next ace.

“He’s the guy. He was really kind of the guy last year. He was my No. 1 golfer,” Sellman said. “He was just a little more consistent day in and day out. He didn’t mind the added pressure of being with bigger schools or better golfers.”