ERIE — Talk about getting into the swing of things quickly.
Buoyed by four golfers in the top 10, Humboldt High’s junior varsity golf team took home first place Wednesday at the Erie Invitational, a tournament postponed from two days earlier because of stormy weather.
And while Wednesday’s conditions were hardly ideal — cold winds blasted the golfers from start to finish — it did little to slow down Humboldt’s five golfers.
Leading the way was Thatcher Mueller, in his first ever tournament. He shot a 51, good for second overall, three strokes behind gold medalist Reed Duffy of Erie.
He was followed close behind by Aiden Galloway, who shot a 54 to take seventh, and Layne Ellison and Broc Ivy, both of whom shot a 55 to take eighth and ninth, respectively.
Tymber Shultz carded a 73 to place 27th.
“I was proud of how the entire team played today at their first meet of the year,” Humboldt golf coach Bret Hauser said. “Once again, it was a windy day on the course, but they prevailed and figured out how to get the job done.”
The team title was the Humboldt’s first since Hauser took over as head coach five years ago.
“Having four individual medalists also is a record for my tenure,” he added.
Mueller wasn’t the only first-timer out on the course, Hauser noted. Ivy also had never played an official round of golf before Wednesday.
“I’m looking forward to what they do in the upcoming tournaments,” he said.
Galloway shaved off five strokes from the same tournament last year.
Ellison, who had played well a day earlier in a varsity meet at Burlington, kept up his momentum and shot seven strokes better than on the same course from 2023, Hauser said.
Shultz, who missed playing in 2023 because of injury, also had several good shots, Hauser continued. “We’re looking forward to what she can do,” he said.
Humboldt’s team score of 215 was four strokes better than Uniontown’s 219. Erie took third with a 220.
