The 2022 Waterloo High School golf team includes (from left to right): Coach Matthew Flanagan, Drew Flarida, Trevor SImons, Jack White, Blade Ascarrunz, Bella Jenior, Preston White, Clayton Smith, Mitchell Shepherd, Jackson Eichler and Noah Hughes.

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

It is well documented that Michael Jordan had to fight his way through the Detroit Pistons to achieve the championship level that his legacy is forever attached to.

He had three years of playoff exits to the Bad Boys.

The Waterloo boys golf team knows a bit of that feeling.

For four consecutive seasons, the Vikings have finished as runners-up to McDonald in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference.

Have there been moments of frustration and disappointment along the way?

Sure.

However, head coach Matt Flanagan has made his team comfortable with looking back to them as a source of motivation.

His team has not ran away from the challenge.

And there is a finish line they are still working tirelessly to cross together.

Summer workouts that began when the sun crested the eastern horizon. Practices throughout the season that are filled with competitions designed to keep the team focused. References to the leadership and success of previous senior classes used as examples that the Vikings are far closer than they think to breaking through.

“We talked throughout the off-season and into this season about how we are a work in progress,” Flanagan said. “We are in search of progress, not perfection. The team is working to get better each day.”

The approach has been working.

Waterloo enters the week with a perfect 13-0 record on the season, including one victory over McDonald early in the season.

Trust that the Vikings are not celebrating anything early, though. They know they still have plenty of challenges ahead, including three more league games against Sebring McKinley, Lowellville and a showdown rematch with McDonald at the Mahoning Country Club on Sept. 15. Additionally, Waterloo still has the MVAC Tournament hosted at Salem Hills Country Club on Sept. 21 before the postseason tournaments tee off.

“We have emphasized that people do not appreciate things that are easy,” Flanagan said. “Things that are easy normally get overlooked. We will continue to work hard because what we are trying to accomplish is not easy.”

Having a special group certainly helps, though.

Four returning lettermen have taken the foundation built by the graduated seniors from the previous three seasons and have pushed it to the next level.

At 13-0, the Waterloo golf team is in pursuit of the school’s first golf league championship since 1989.
From left to right are Clayton Smith, Mitchell Shepherd, Trevor Simons, Noah Hughes, Drew Flarida, Jackson Eichler, Bella Jenior and head coach Matthew Flanagan.

The current version of the Vikings have found success through its depth, teamwork and love for competition.

Senior Noah Hughes, who is the only senior on the team, along with junior Jackson Eichler, sophomore Trevor Simons and junior Drew Flarida have provided the core of the team’s scores this season.

However, the development of sophomores Clayton Smith, Mitchell Shepherd and Bella Jenior have allowed the Vikings to enter matches with seven players deep in varsity rotation.

“Noah is a four-year letterman and is the vocal leader of our group,” Flanagan said. “Jackson is a two-year letterman and is the most improved golfer since his freshman season. He put in a lot of work in the off-season.

“Trevor is a two-year letterman and is a calming presence to his teammates,” Flanagan said. “Drew is a three-year letterman, who is a big hitter with an adaptable game to any course.”

The group is focused on becoming the first golf team since 1989 to win a league championship.

And the current group of standouts benefitted from the success of Gavin English and Tucker Brown in 2020, then Luke Simons, Draker Miller and Hunter Rothermel in 2021.

“The senior leadership we had in the 202 c lass set a tone of howe we need to compete to start to reach our potential,” Flanagan said. “Last season, the seniors helped set our goals, knowing where we wanted to finish, which motivarted us. They wanted that success again and it has been contagious within our team this year.”

The thirst for competition has been contagious, too.

And Flanagan has helped fuel it by keeping practices from falling into monotony.

“I know this team likes to compete, so we set up practices on certain days to be team-competition days,” Flanagan said.

A yearly par-3 champion is crowned at Mulligan Springs. Putting, chipping or driving challenges are presented at Tannenhauf or Sable Creek.

“I want us to continually work on all parts of the game,” Flanagan said.

The results have followed, but there are more still out there.

Ones that could potentially end a 33-year championship absence.

And the Waterloo boys golf team wants to know a bit of what that feels like.