Men’s golf tees off strong start Rugby game shatters bones but not willpower

by KYLIE AKINS news editor

The men’s golf team participated in its first tournament of the spring semester Feb. 21-22 at Henderson State’s 2011 Doyle Wallace Classic.

The team placed seventh with a two-round total of 623, which is the exact same score they posted at last year’s Doyle Wallace Classic.

“While it wasn’t our best finish, I know several individuals had great scores,” men’s golf coach Dustin Howell said.

Freshmen Lucas Collins, Jordan Perry and Evan Greenwood, sophomore Lewis Jackson and junior Bruce McMullen made up Harding’s five-man team, qualifying for the event during an intrasquad competition before the tournament.

Sophomores Blake Chase and Ryan Hadash and juniors Dustin Richter and Tyler Parsons also played in the tournament for Harding as individuals.

Jackson scored a personal career best 4 over 149, placing 15th out of 57 golfers as Harding’s top finisher. Collins tied for 22nd at 154, McMullen tied for 33rd at 157, Perry tied for 45th at 163, and Greenwood tied for 52nd at 168.

Team captain Chase tied as an individual at 16th with a 5 over 150, scoring an even-par 72 for the second round. This was his second time this season to shoot par or better, and the third-best round played by a Harding golfer this season.

“I struggled a bit the first round but was able to come out and play well the next day,” Chase said. “Overall, it was a good start to the spring season.”

Richter placed 18th at 151, Hadash tied for 31st at 156, and Parsons placed 44th at 161.

Howell said he hopes the players can continue to mature as golfers this season and learn to hold their playing level consistently from beginning to end.

When it comes down to the last few holes, it’s about mentally holding it together.

“Many of our golfers at this tournament had great rounds going up until the last few holds, and they weren’t able to hold that together and post a good score,” Howell said. “That’s a part of becoming a good player. In fact, it’s one of the last steps that good golfers need: the ability to close a round. When it comes down to the last few holes, it’s about mentally holding it together.”

Howell and Chase said that the team’s new indoor facility in the GAC has drastically improved their game, especially after the long holiday break.

“Our putting was dramatically improved,” Howell said. “While the course conditions weren’t great...I could tell a big difference in putting.”

Although Chase said the team did not perform as well as it could have, he has optimism for the rest of the season.

“Hopefully we can continue to have success this spring like we did last fall,” Chase said. “I feel our team has a very good chance to advance past the conference tournament in April.”

This past Monday and Tuesday, the Bisons fared much better at the CrawfordWade Invitational in Potsboro, Texas at the Tanglewood Golf Resort. Harding shot a three-round score of 920, with Chase shooting a thirdround 67 that helped lead the Bisons to a second-place finish behind Texas A&MCommerce, which shot 896 for the win.

by JESS ARDREY opinions editor

Last Saturday, Harding’s rugby team, the All Blacks, had a home game against North Alabama. That is, they were supposed to.

Due to a referee not showing up, the game was canceled. The All Blacks then decided just to play each other for a couple of games, but it did not turn out as planned.

Junior Caleb Callari went in for the second game. The first time he picked up the ball, Callari got smashed by a fellow teammate. The play ended with a fractured pelvis for Callari and with all of the tendons torn in freshman Isaac Taylor’s shoulder.

“While unfortunate, frustrating and debilitating, it was a risk I took when I ran onto the field,” Callari said.

Despite the accidents and a loss in their first game of the season against Arkansas State University, the rugby team is pushing forward.

“We knew going into the game that we would be facing a very well-coached and high-ranking team,” junior Hayden Dorsett said.

“We were disappointed in losing to them, but the fact that we were able to go out there, score first and hold them to an even score in the second half proved that we can hang with the best of the teams.”

The team is working hard on a few things like composure, passing, tackling and conditioning.

The All Blacks are seeing the difference hard work is making in the new players and the general morale.

“The new guys have been a real blessing to the team this year,” Dorsett said. “And we’ve seen a huge improvement in their knowledge and ability to play the game, especially in their ability to support one another on and off the field.”

Pulling for more viewers, fans and supporters is another problem with which the team struggles. Because it is not an official Harding team, they sometimes have a difficult time with this task.

“We look forward to making rugby better known and more supported at Harding so that it can be something for the school as a whole to enjoy and participate in cheering us on as we aim for victory,” junior Geoff Box said. Harding’s next rugby games are Saturday against Freed-Hardeman at 2 p.m. and Sunday against University of Tennessee at Martin, of which the time has not been released.

The new guys have been a real blessing to the team this year. And we’ve seen a huge improvement in their knowledge and ability to play the game.