Coming off a fifth-place finish at last years WIAA Division 1 state meet, the Waunakee boys’ golf team is hungry for more.
Having 85 kids out for the sport gives head coach Betsy Zadra a lot of options in putting together a varsity lineup.
“We have a group of returning JV players who will be in the mix for a varsity spot and a freshman,” said Zadra, who is entering her eighth year at the Warriors’ helm.
It was a banner year for Waunakee in 2023. The Warriors went 24-4 in conference matches, winning one Badger East mini meet. They also won the Badger East Tournament and the overall Badger East title, their fifth conference championship in a row. And Waunakee won its first-ever sectional title.
While the losses of Jake Mann and Ryan Hecht to graduation will sting, there’s plenty of talent on hand to give the Warriors hope of at least repeating their 2023 successes.
Senior KC Nickel leads the group of returning contributors. He was the runner-up at state individually in Division 1, while garnering first feam all-state, first feam all-conference and Badger East Player of the Year honors. Nickel had a nine-hole scoring average of 36.8, plus an 18-hole scoring average of 71.2 in conference mini meets and the conference tournament. On top of all that, Nickel racked up 13 top-five finishes and was medalist at the Badger East Conference Tournament, while also taking second at sectionals.
The supporting cast includes sophomore Peyton Albers, a second team all-conference selection who had a nine-hole scoring average of 40.2 a year ago. Albers also had five top-ten finishes and an 18-hole scoring average of 80.2 in Badger Conference mini meets and the conference tournament.
Drew Berres is a senior contributor, who had three top-ten finishes last season and a nine-hole scoring average of 40.5.
The Warriors also welcome back senior Brady Piazza, who missed almost the entire 2023 season with a back injury. He played the first match last year and then sat out the remainder of 2023. However, in 2022, Piazza sported a nine-hole scoring average of 39.9, recorded four top-five finishes and placed seventh at the 2022 WIAA sectional.
Others looking to make their marks include senior AJ Ziegler, who had a nine-hole scoring average of 42.7 last year and took first-place in two junior varsity Badger East mini-meets. Senior Parker Andreson, who had a nine-hole scoring average of 43.2 a year ago, is also battling for varsity time, along with junior Peter Wangarin, whose nine-hole scoring average was 43.4 in 2023 and took first and third in two Badger East Mini-Meets. Fellow junior Quinn Miller, with his nine-hole scoring average 46.75, had a couple of top five finishes in JV matches.
Freshman Quinn Stein competed in summer Wisconsin Summer WPGA junior tournaments last year.
It’ll be a tight race for the conference title, as Milton, DeForest, Fort Atkinson and Waunakee are all contenders to win the Badger Large championship, with Monona Grove a dark-horse candidate. Look out for players such as Milton’s Brett Wieland and Cade Wieland, Fort Atkinson’s Mason Burke, Kellan Jacobson and Jack Kammer, and DeForest’s Kaden Zinkle, Lincoln Hottman, Dylan Bilderback and Camden Goninen from DeForest to battle with Waunakee’s Nickel, Piazza, Berres and Albers.
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