Nick Barada tees off during a 2023 tournament.
Daily Reporter File Photo
NEW PALESTINE — Although competition has yet to begin against opposing schools, for the New Palestine boys golf team, the competition within the team has been rampant as they gear up for the start of the year.
With three returning players from last year’s lineup taking up three of the five match-day spots, the Dragons have been battling internally for the final two positions.
“We have a lot of guys that really want to be in the top five. Those four and five spots are a jumble right now of people trying to earn those spots,” New Palestine head coach Chris Story said. “We have five team bags that we only use on the 18-hole events and the county tournament. You have to earn the bag to carry it and there’s a lot of guys that want to do that. There’s some good internal competition, and hopefully that drives down scores even more.”
In Saturday’s season-opening Yorktown Invitational, those final spots will be filled by junior Josiah Kissel and senior Ty Mitchell.
The pair beat out freshmen Jackson Smith and Bryce Marrow and junior Brady Torzewski by less than a stroke.
Those five will interchange all season and help make up for the graduation of Alex Cofer and Landon Beaty. The two were mainstays in the New Palestine lineup last season.
“We lost two pretty good seniors so those spots have to be filled,” Story said. “They played a lot of matches for us, a lot of invites on Saturdays, and county, sectional and conference.”
The three returning members from last year’s lineup — Nick Barada, Luke Cofer and Joey McPike — will be thrust into even bigger roles this season.
Barada, a senior, has stepped into a leadership role with the team and is looking to build off of last season’s strong finish. After shooting an 89 at the sectional, and hovering around 86 all season long, Barada shot a 78 at the Players Club in the regional, the same course the Dragons open the season on Saturday..
“Nick is going to be in the No. 1 spot because he’s a senior and brings leadership and all of those things. He wants to be No. 1, so I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can do,” Story said. “There’s been a lot of growth from him. I remember when his brother (Matt Barada) was our No. 1 golfer and Nick was on the team scraping by for JV playing time. He’s come a long way. He’s the grinder on the team. He gets up and down a lot and just works really hard.”
While Barada takes on the leadership and No. 1 spot as a senior, it’s been sophomore Luke Cofer playing the best golf leading up to today.
“Luke is still pretty young, and it’s really early in the season and we haven’t competed yet, but trial-wise and the scores we’ve gotten early, he’s been on the lower end of the three,” Story said.
Last year, Luke Cofer had the team’s best score at the Hoosier Heritage Conference tournament (86), and the second best score at the Hancock County tournament (43) and regional (84).
Right behind him towards the end of last year was McPike. At the sectional, as the No. 5 golfer, McPike shot a team-best 83 to help the Dragons beat Shenandoah by two shots for the final regional qualifying spot.
“Joey really came on at the end of last season and was one of the big reasons why we got to the regional,” Story said. “He’s built on that momentum.”
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2024 New Palestine Boys Golf Schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
April 6;at Yorktown Invitational;11 a.m.
April 9;at Whiteland/Greenfield-Central;4:30 p.m.
April 11;at Knightstown;4:30 p.m.
April 13;at Trojan Classic;10 a.m.
April 15;at Triton Central;4 p.m.
April 16;vs. Franklin Central;4:30 p.m.
April 17;vs. Hamilton Southeastern;4 p.m.
April 18;at Shelbyville/Columbus North;5:30 p.m.
April 20;at Artesian Classic (Martinsville);1 p.m.
April 25;vs. Beech Grove;5:30 p.m.
April 29;vs. Mt. Vernon;4:30 p.m.
May 1;Hancock Co.;4:30 p.m.
May 2;at Eastern Hancock;5 p.m.
May 4;at Batesville Invitational;10 a.m.
May 6;at Warren Central;4:30 p.m.
May 7;at Shenandoah/Eastern Hancock;4 p.m.
May 8;at Speedway/Westfield;5 p.m.
May 11;HHC Invitational;8:30 a.m.
May 14;at Rushville;4:30 p.m.
May 18;at Connersville Invite;9 a.m.
May 21;vs. Greenwood;4 p.m.
May 22;at Eastern Hancock;4:30 p.m.
May 23;vs. Greenwood Christian;4:30 p.m.
May 29;at Triton Central Invite;9 a.m.
