Brandon’s varsity golf team is not off to the start it had hoped for.
The Blackhawks, who won the Flint Metro League championship last season, finished sixth out of nine teams at the Flint Metro League preseason tournament Monday, Aug. 21 at Sugarbush Golf Course in Davison.
The Blackhawks finished with a team score of 351, well behind first-place Holly, which finished at 333. Swartz Creek and Fenton each finished next at 336, but the Panthers won second place on a tiebreaker.
As he did much of last season, Brandon’s Ryan Bilkos established himself near the top of the leader board
Bilkos, the team’s Most Valuable Player last season, was the Blackhawks? leading golfer at the tournament, placing fourth among all individual golfers with a score of 81. Brian Jordan, last year’s Most Improved Player for the Blackhawks, was the other team member to finish in the top 10, finishing tied for 10th at 84.
Rounding out the Brandon efforts were Robert Thompson (92), Matt Rogers (94), Ryan Steverlynck (99) and Matt Halula (107).
First-year Brandon coach Wayne Thompson said the absence of Josh Williams, one of the top golfers on last year’s team, doesn’t help matters.
‘He’s been trying to play both football and golf, and he was injured playing football,? he said.
Last year, Williams was one of three Brandon golfers, along with Bilkos and Jordan, to earn first team all-league recognition.
Bilkos also set the pace for the Blackhawks at the Lapeer Invitational Saturday, Aug. 19, again finishing with a round of 81.
As a team, the Blackhawks finished 14th with a combined score of 346, well behind first-place Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (308).
The Blackhawks opened their season Thursday, Aug. 17 at the Durand Invitational, and earned a second-place finish with a team score of 316, two shots behind first-place Swartz Creek.
Despite the slow start this season, Thompson said it is too early to write off the team. ‘We’re searching and trying to figure out what’s going on,? he said.
The Blackhawks have two league meets scheduled for this week, Aug. 28 at home against Fenton and Aug. 31 on the road against Holly.