Young Newcastle squad gains lessons at 3A championships

The Newcastle Dogies wrapped up their second season of high school golf at the 3A State Championships in Cody last weekend, finishing 12th in the boys’ standings with a two-day total of 853 at Olive Glenn Golf Course.

Assistant coach Wyatt Voelker, a former 2A state champion who guided the team with head coach Brad Troftgruben unavailable, said the course presented both opportunities and obstacles.

“The course was playing in pretty good shape. It was pretty open and it was pretty gettable,” Voelker said.

The Dogies, however, also went into the event on a course unfamiliar to both golfers and coaches.

“We went into the first day blind to the course because we didn’t get the benefit of a practice round,” Voelker said.

The Dogies shot 417 on the opening day before slipping to 436 in the final round, as the field tightened and the challenge of state competition took hold.

“The ball striking was good the second day, but the kids had a hard time adapting to slower greens,” he said.

Newcastle’s scores reflected that struggle, with three of the four golfers shooting higher in the second round than the first.

Freshman Asic Dawson led Newcastle with consistent rounds of 103 and 103 for a 206, tying him for 49th overall. Junior Coen Tavegie followed with a 208 after improving by six strokes on day two, and freshman Adryan Wolfe carded a 216. Senior Ty Stith steadied the young roster on the first day by posting the team’s lowest score (101), but closed his Dogie career with a 223 after struggling on day two.

Voelker said the team’s ball striking was solid, but the greens proved to be a challenge, and he said it underscored the importance of short-game work as the program looks ahead.

“We’re going to be very short-game focused when we go into the spring,” he said. “I think we can really tighten up some things around the green, and really score. We hit the ball good enough, but we know we are giving up 2-3 strokes around the green, and that is hard on the scorecard.”

Even as the numbers weren’t where they hoped, Voelker said the players handled themselves well, and kept their heads throughout, even when things weren’t going their way.

“They were very respectful to their group, and we were very proud of them,” Voelker said.

Newcastle’s 12th-place finish came in a field topped by Wheatland, which won the 3A championship with a 622, followed by Lander Valley at 630 and Buffalo at 657. The Dogies, a self-funded program still in its infancy, finished ahead of two fully funded 3A programs (Worland and Glenrock) that were unable to post team scores.

With two freshmen and a junior gaining state experience alongside a senior leader, the Dogies added another important chapter to their growth. Voelker said the lessons from state competition will carry into next season, when Newcastle will return nearly its entire lineup.

Newcastle Results – 3A State Golf

Olive Glenn Golf Course, Cody • Sept. 19–20

Asic Dawson (FR) — 103–103, 206 (T-49th)

Coen Tavegie (JR) — 107–101, 208 (52nd)

Adryan Wolfe (FR) — 106–110, 216 (57th)

Ty Stith (SR) — 101–122, 223 (T-62nd)

Boys Team Standings (Top 12)

Wheatland — 622 (316–306)

Lander Valley — 630 (308–322)

Buffalo — 657 (330–327)

Torrington — 673 (333–340)

Pinedale — 674 (343–331)

Douglas — 682 (341–341)

Cody — 694 (351–343)

Powell — 695 (348–347)

Lovell — 765 (389–376)

Lyman — 768 (396–372)

Rawlins — 803 (382–421)

Newcastle — 853 (417–436)