The sprawling hills, deep trenches, and smell of freshly cut grass sets the scene as the WS golf team goes to work.

With a final record of 1-4-1 and a 6^th place finish in the Patriot Conference championship, the Spartans know they have a lot to improve on for next year.  With that being said, this young team is full of potential for the future with only two seniors graduating and nine returning players, the golf team’s hope for the future is very bright.

Despite the disappointing finish, there were many bright spots for this year’s team.  Freshmen Wolfie Zachar and Sidney Walker played consistently all year and will be looking to be huge contributors in the future.  Junior Ben Lowry also played his career best of 76 at a match at Laurel Hill and sophomore Andrew Johnson posted several rounds in the 70s (which is very impressive).

“We could very well be better next year as some of the underclassmen continue to improve quickly- a lot depends on how hard they work in the offseason,” said 3^rd year coach Steve Bantle. Although the season is over for the 2013 golf team, there are still a few Spartans competing individually.  Senior Lauren Zachar, sophomore Maddie Blesi, and freshmen Sidney Walker and Larissa Pawlawski have the opportunity to compete in the Zone qualifier, a state wide tournament for any athletes that qualify.  Having all four in the event would be a first in WS history and a trip to a state event is open for all of them as long as they make the cut.

The record for this year’s team does not truly show the work this team has done through the long hours of practice and the long drives to different match locations.

“Golf is incredibly frustrating, sometimes you just don’t know what to do [or how] to fix what’s going on,” said sophomore Collin Farquhar.

The sport that relies heavily on mental focus and constant perseverance can be hard to handle sometimes, but each member of the team has risen to the challenge.  The hard work it takes always pays off as the team has come to realize.

“The feeling of finally succeeding after putting in so much work [is why I enjoy golf].  The hard part is the ups and downs. One day you can be playing amazing and the next day you can be ready to quit,” said junior captain Ben Lowry.

In a sport that does not get much attention on the high school level, it makes it even more impressive when you see the work they put in. No matter how hard the team works and how much they achieve, they will always be working to achieve more.

“[Golf] is also a game that offers no point of perfection… Even your best score can leave you saying, ‘You know, it could have been better,’” said Bantle.