Former assistant coach to instruct 19 golfers this fall

Photos by Phil Dickens/Dickens Studio
Pictured is the Sullivan boys’ golf team: Front row, left to right– Cody Johnson, Tristan Hendrix, Andrew Freeman, Gavin Harlin, Luke Delong, and Tommy Schibur. Back row-Coach Ben Richter,Kenneth Farley, Sam Mulligan, Layne McMahon, Dylian Liddiard, Liam Bechtold, and Joey Davison. To purchase this photo visit www.dickensstudio.com.

Photos by Phil Dickens/Dickens Studio
Pictured is the Sullivan girls’ golf team: Front row, left to right– Dani Boyer, Emmalee Hortenstine, and Jessica Yantis. Back row: Kali Forsyth, Beretta Phelps, Ariel Heppe, and Alexis Matlock. To purchase this photo visit www.dickensstudio.com.

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Taking on the head softball coach position last year was just the beginning for Sullivan High School teacher Ben Richter. On August 12, he was also made the head golf coach after serving as the assistant to Jerry Lane last year. And though the new head coach says this year will be a rebuilding year for Sullivan golf, the program has attracted 19 players this year, providing an encouraging sign for the years to come.

“We’re mostly freshmen, sophomores, and a couple juniors so it’s going to be a rebuilding year,” said Richter. “Coming into it, a lot of these kids didn’t get to play very much over the summer.”

While the team graduated only two seniors last year, including then number one golfer Lucas Mossman, the team’s rebuilding woes continue from last year with still a largely young group of players.

Of the 19 golfers out this year, 12 are boys, while seven are girls, including four returning varsity players in senior Emmalee Hortenstine, Jessica Yantis, Ariel Heppe, and Beretta Phelps.

“Emmalee is the only senior girl on the team, and she is definitely the leader of the girls’ team,” said Richter. “Thursday we competed in a scramble in Charleston. Emmalee and Jessica Yantis and Beretta and Ariel paired up and both did very well, shooting a 45 and 46. It was very impressive. They were having a lot of fun which was neat to see. They knew that they were sticking with the pack, so they could see their game was improving while having a good time.”     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.