After collecting a 14th place state finish in 2017 and a tie for sixth place in 2016, the Dickinson Trinity boys golf team and its voyage to another state tournament will be headed by new leadership.
Jake Selinger enters his first season as Titans head coach, replacing Ernie Hill.
Selinger graduated from Dickinson Trinity in 2007 and played golf collegiately at the University of Mary.
"This is my first year and I'm very excited, if we can get the weather to warm up, it'll be even better," Selinger said. "Now, we are just working on what we can and go from there."
Selinger will be in charge of a roster undergoing a bit of a makeover.
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The Titans lost three golfers from a year ago, including team leader and veteran Matt Tessier. The 2018 campaign will only include one senior in Peter Pavak. However, junior Ethan Hickel, freshman Cole Fitterer and eighth-grader Tyler Brusseau are all expected to make an impact after competing against the best golfers in Class B last season.
"Our team is very young, other than Peter, but they do have some experience at the state tournament last year," Selinger said. "If we can continue to build on that and get better from last year, that's a step in the right direction."
Fitterer, as an eighth-grader, shot the lowest mark of all the Titans at last year's state meet in Mandan, earning a two-day score of 186 and tying for 51st place. As one of the better golfers on the squad, Fitterer feels an added sense of responsibility.
"This year, kids are looking up to me and I'll have to be a leader. Last year, we were looking up to Matt," Fitterer said. "I have a feeling that they are going to looking up to me so I have to lead well. I have faith in them. As long as I do well, I know they will do their best and help us out."
Meanwhile, Brusseau will be following in Fitterer's footsteps as an eighth-grader on the Titans roster. In his first action on varsity last season, Brusseau says it took him time to become comfortable and adjust to this level of golf, but with time his game has been more steady.
"I have become a lot more consistent with my irons and my all-around game," Brusseau said. "I've been improving as I've gone along. I'm pretty comfortable this year."
Heart River and Beulah, the top two teams in Region 5 last season, are expected to be solid again this season, but the Titans intend on being in the mix as long as they can take care of what they can control.
"We want to keep the Titan tradition going," Selinger said. "We expect to compete, want to play to the best of our ability, improve our scores each week and hopefully make it to State. Everybody is in the same boat as us as far as getting a late start out on the course and so if we can get after it as soon as the weather warms up, we'll be in good shape."
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