PARKVILLE – Park Hill South senior Keegan Feder has qualified for the Class 5 Boys’ State Golf Tournament each of the last three years and isn’t planning on stopping this spring.
Park Hill South senior Keegan Feder has finished each of the last three springs with 160 strokes or a 62nd place finish at the Class 5 State Golf Tournament.
Feder has been consistent in his three state appearances, taking 62nd place twice and finishing with 160 strokes twice. He is the top golfer of the veteran Park Hill South squad that is coming off a ninth-place finish at state.
“We should be competitive again,” Park Hill South head boys’ golf coach Tracy Mangels said. “We won conference last year, qualified a team for the state tournament, and have three starters and state qualifiers returning. I like our depth, which will create competition for the starting lineup, since the kids have worked hard in the offseason.”
Senior Matthew Parker and junior Drew Hurley had state exposure in 2023 – being towards the bottom of the standings in the largest class in the state – and have improved since then. The Panther junior trio of Clayton Wichman, Drew Kobayoshi and Nathan Verechtert didn’t make it to the biggest stage, yet they contributed during the regular season.
“We have been trying to get the squad set. Then, like always, we dedicate most of the practice time to improving and catching up the aspects of the short game. Their ball striking will get into form much sooner,” Mangels said.
Underclassmen Hayden Lea and Joe Luken are competing early on for spots on the deep varsity lineup. Junior Drew Olson joins them in that quest as well.
“We have a large interest in golf at Park Hill South this season. We typically have a good turnout, but this year 32 kids signed up for tryouts. That is the highest number that I can recall in my 25 years as an assistant and head coach here,” Mangels said.