Howell’s boys golf team was expected to have a down year after graduating a core of five seniors who led the Highlanders to back-to-back state tournaments.
And, at first, it appeared that projection was accurate.
A program that won the Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship last season finished sixth in the league’s preseason event with a 313 on April 23. The Highlanders shot 290 on the same course in the same tournament last year.
But things quickly clicked for the Highlanders.
In Howell’s first home match on April 28, a completely new lineup of players shot 152 to match the best score the Highlanders shot last season at Faulkwood Shores Golf Course.
Then came Howell’s trip to historic Oakland Hills Country Club on Monday, May 4.
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The Highlanders shot 293 on the North Course to finish second in a strong field of 28 teams at the Next Tee Invitational.
All five Howell golfers shot in the 70s, with Anson Forsyth and Michael Maiberger firing 72s, Oliver Heikkinen a 74, Marco Wolf a 75, and Egan Struos a 78.
Grand Rapids South Christian won with a 288.
Brighton was sixth with a 301 and Hartland seventh with a 302.
Brandon Lovejoy shot 71, Adam Forcier and Grady Bissett 76s, and Mitchell Stoll 78 for Brighton.
Aidan Oake shot 73, Sam Hammond 75, Wyatt Johnson 76 and Grant Sturos 78 for Hartland.
Jim Sander Memorial
Hartland’s “B’ team placed sixth out of 17 teams with a 330 at Prestwick Village. Jase Sensor tied for fourth place with a 76 to lead the Eagles.
Baseball
Brighton 6, Salem 5 (8)
Nick Farney hit a bases-loaded single to break a 5-5 tie and gave Brighton the victory in the bottom of the eighth inning. Farney was 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
Hartland 13, Canton 7
Dylan Crowe hit a home run and Michael Bernardi was 3-for-4 for Hartland, which broke a 4-4 tie with an eight-run fourth inning.
Northville 10, Howell 6
Brady Hamilton and Nick Myers each drove in two runs for Howell. It was a 5-5 game before Northville scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Pinckney 20-18, Ypsilanti 0-0
Pinckney’s Owen Zylka hit two home runs and was 3-for-3 with five RBIs in the second game.
Justin Miner was 3-for-3 with three RBIs in the first game and pitched three no-hit innings with seven strikeouts in the nightcap. Joshua Carpentier struck out seven of the nine batters he faced in the first game.
Henry Taube drove in three runs in the opener, while Owen Putnam was 3-for-3 in the second game.
Softball
Oxford 11, Brighton 10
Kendall Peckens hit a home run for Brighton. Oxford scored the winning run on a passed ball in the top of the seventh.
Boys lacrosse
Brighton 19, Novi 0
Twelve players scored for Brighton (12-1).
Girls lacrosse
Fenton 15, Howell 9
Janie Mitter scored four goals, Evie Nicholas had two goals and Brooke Moon had a goal and two assists for Howell.
Girls tennis
Hartland 9, Milford 0Singles: Arianna Kinney (H) d. Josie Vosler 6-0, 6-0; Baylee Kotrba (H) d. Charlotte Washburn 6-0, 7-6 (3); Leda Pantelas (H) d. April Callaghan 6-0, 6-3; Daphne Pargulski (H) d. Avery Massimilla 6-0, 6-1.Doubles: Eliza Ernest -Katlynn Leedle (H) d. Claire Drew-Emily Stewart 5-7, 6-4, 10-6; Avery Shaw-Becca Brock (H) d. Hannah Charles-Elle Beer 4-6, 6-4, 17-15; Stella Kelsey-Maria DiMatteo (H) d. Kyla Rambo-Carlie Lewandowski 6-0, 6-0; Gabriella McClue-Isabella Gembel (H) d. Abbey Marcus-Ali Parks 6-2, 6-1; Sara Nalepka-Jocelyn Petersen (H) d. Giavanna Hysko-Lacey Smith 7-5, 7-6 (3).
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Livingston County boys golfers have successful day at Oakland Hills
Reporting by Bill Khan, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
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