Four In A Row... Again

There's an age-old argument in sports over what makes teams successful over the long haul: Is it the coach or the players who make a team great? There is usually merit on both sides of the argument, and conversation about Wichita Collegiate golf is no different. Coach Kevin Reed enters his 20th season with the Spartan golf program, leading it to all 13 of the school's boys state golf titles. After winning six consecutive titles from 1998 to 2003, Collegiate has again reeled off consecutive state championships the past three seasons. Craig Howell, a four-year varsity golfer and three-time state medalist for the Spartans, argues both sides. "I give a lot of credit to the coach," says Howell. "He's not hard on us, but he makes us work at it a lot more than I hear some other high school coaches do their players. I think coach Reed is a big part of what has made the program what it is over the years. "The kids on our team are pretty motivated to win," he continues, switching gears. "We practice at bigger courses than most of the kids we play against at state, which also leads to how we do things. I think we have people step up each year to fill the holes left by seniors." The Spartans will need to replace graduated players Andrew Foulston, second at state individually last season, and Zach Cobble. In company with Howell, also back from the 2008 state championship team are senior Andrew Hourani and juniors Brett LeMaster and Tyler Vincent. Ben Hatfield, another junior, is also expected to be a key contributor. Both Reed and Howell note that he had an outstanding summer season in 2008. Reed feels like he has several golfers that will contribute in a positive manner to get the Spartans back to state this season. "We have three kids back that all shot 86 at the state tournament," says Reed. "We will need them to step up and improve." Hourani, a three-sport star at Collegiate, knows there is room for improvement if the goals set out for this team are going to be achieved. "The three of us didn't play to our capabilities in that [state] tournament and we won on a tiebreaker last year," he says. "One more missed putt and we would've got second. We definitely have to step it up especially at regionals and state. Craig is definitely a great player, and he will need a supporting cast if we are going to score well and win it all." Hourani hopes that he and LeMaster can bring some momentum to the golf team after contributing to an undefeated Spartan basketball season. "If you go 26-0 in a basketball season, your seniors are going to have to lead," Hourani said. "All of the seniors on that team did a pretty good job with leadership and that will help. You just feel different after your season ends with a state championship and that can definitely give us momentum." Wichita Collegiate will have a home course advantage if it makes it through regional play and qualifies for state - the tourney is slated for Tallgrass Country Club on May 26. This is a fact that does not go unnoticed by the squad's top player and head coach. "We are hosting at Tallgrass and that is where we practice," says Reed. "It is where quite a few of our players are members. We certainly have familiarity with the course." Howell feels even stronger about playing at the east Wichita country club. "Our expectations are pretty high, knowing that state is going to be at our home course," he said. "It could be a rare chance to win four state tournaments in the same sport. Individually, I have hopes of winning since you could say state is in my backyard - I live on the Tallgrass course. We moved here when I was four years old, so I've pretty much grown up playing it everyday." Reed has been informed of Kapaun Mount Carmel's record of seven straight state titles, which Collegiate just missed out on matching in 2004, but at this point, to look that far down the line is a little daunting to the veteran golf coach. "I had heard that seven was the record," says Reed, "and that's not something that I spend a lot of time thinking about. From my frame of mind, it is one year at a time." But, hey, twice winning four in row wouldn't be too shabby.