John Raffel

Sports Scene

Cedar Springs’ athletic department will definitely miss Tyler Covell when the Redhawk senior graduates at the end of the current spring sports season.

He’s been playing golf for a long time and is the No. 1 player on a Cedar Springs squad that won the St. Ives Match Play Golf Invitational at Chippewa Hills on April 19.

I’ve gotten better and better each year,” said Covell. He hopes this year “I will play the best I ever have.”

He is hoping to qualify for the state finals this season. My freshman year, we went to regionals as a team,” Covell said. “Our goal is to make it to state this year.”

At St. Ives, “it was the first time this year we’ve been able to get everyone playing well.  It takes a whole team effort to win as a team. Everyone has to be playing their best,” Covell said. “We did it Thursday. That was pretty rewarding.”

His best score in high school golf has been a 79. At my first 18-hole tournament, I shot an 80 with a triple bogey,” Covell said. “In the high 70s is what I expect to shoot.”

Tim Anders, coach of the team, said We’re off to a solid start. They’ve started to score better.”

Anders has been impressed with Covell’s composure.

He’s aggressive off the tee,” Anders said. “His short game [is good].”

Anders said his No. 2 golfer, Robert Klein, a junior, has been consistent.

He’s not flashy,” Anders said. “He’ll hit it down the middle. Then he’ll hit it on the green and will two-putt. He’s been hot with his putter. That will help him. He rolled in a couple of 40-foot putts at St. Ives.”

Kent Yokum at No. 3 is “really straight,” Anders said. “His iron play has been good.” Stock Reef rounds out the team at No. 4.

Covell plays football in the fall, basketball in the winter, and baseball and golf in the spring.

In baseball, Covell is a catcher and also plays first base and outfield. He’s had four years of varsity baseball. He batted around .350 last season and calls it “one of his best years. I’m hoping to bat around .400 this year.”

He was a three-year varsity starter as quarterback for the football team and was a spot starter for basketball.

I think my best sport is golf, and baseball is a close second,” Covell said. “Most of my golf matches are Monday and Wednesday, while baseball is Tuesday and Thursday. Every once in awhile on Saturday, I’ll have a baseball or a golf tournament. My golf matches usually take place during the school day. I’ll go to that, change in the car, and go to baseball. I’ll change in the car while we’re moving.”

He’s played sports as long as he can remember.

I’m thinking about football at a Division 3 college,” he said, adding that he’ll be waiting to hear about his prospects for golf and baseball.

In his four varsity sports, he has earned 13 letters in athletics. He also has two varsity letters from band.

FARWELL

Farwell also won its bracket at the St. Ives Match Play Golf Invitational.

Top golfers for coach Bernie Starnes include Nicholas Saupe. He’s working real hard right now,” Starnes said. “He’s doing pretty good. His brother, Greg, a senior, has not played golf on a team. We’re hoping he can be the No. 2 or 3 golfer for us. He’s a first-year golfer.”

Farwell also brings back Sean Robinson, sophomore Mitch Nordstrom, and junior Keith Campbell.

 “We’ve got Bobby Byard, a senior, but he’s also running track, so he’s dual-sport. Greg Saupe is in dual sports as well; he’s a track person,” Starnes said.

Josh McCurry is a sophomore “who likes the game and will probably battle for the varsity spot as well.”

Three new teams, Sacred Heart Academy, Standish-Sterling Central, and Pinconning have joined five Jack Pine Conference teams ― Clare, Farwell, Gladwin, Houghton Lake, and Roscommon – in the Mid-Michigan Golf Conference.

It’s going to be exciting that we’ll have more teams we’ll compete against,” Starnes said “We know there’s some good teams out there. If you can get four [good] scores any one night, you have a chance to win. All our matches this year will be 18 holes. We’ve only competed with a nine-hole format. It’s a jamboree format now. All the schools will be competing each night. I think we’re going to do OK. We’re not real deep right now, but we’ll be competitive.”

Starnes likes the new conference’s prospects.

In the league, “if we’re just playing the teams we played last year, Roscommon will be good,” Starnes said. “They’re bringing back pretty much their whole team. They lost one player but have more behind him. Clare is going to be good. Gladwin and Houghton Lake, I’m not sure. They’ll all have one or two new golfers. I don’t know anything about the new teams.”