Blue Dragon golfers gearing up for fall season

Photo courtesy of HutchCC Sports Information: HutchCC’s Cameron Rios-Ceballos tees off during a tournament last season. The golf team is set to open its fall schedule.

By Adam Kolb / Co-Sports Editor

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Cross country isn’t the only team competing this fall at Hutchinson Community College. The Blue Dragon men’s golf team is also scheduled to compete and will hit the links on Oct. 5, where the Blue Dragons will play their first tournament at the CSU-Pueblo Fall Classic in Pueblo, Colorado.

Because of COVID-19, this is a new and unprecedented experience for the entire team. However, the team is ready to play, including freshman Cameron Rios-Ceballos, who is itching to get on the course.

“I’m pretty much just looking forward to tournaments,” Rios-Ceballos said. “ I’ve been wanting to play ever since I’ve been here and just hope COVID gets better so we can start getting back into normal routines.”

Returning to play this year is Charlie Crockett, who was a finalist for the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award last season. Crockett, who is also the first Blue Dragon to earn two PING All-America Awards in program history, is excited to get back on the course and have another great season after the long delay.

“I think it’s great,” Crockett said. “ I thought we were going to miss out.”

The England native is also interested in how the first year players will compete this season.

“I’m looking forward to how the freshmen compose themselves in tournament golf,” Crockett said. “I’m excited to see what we can do.”

Blue Dragons coach Chris Young said he is feeling confident about this season and is also happy that there is even a season to be confident about

“We feel very fortunate,” Young said. “We lost last spring and we know how that feels.”

Young also has a lot of confidence in his players and has high hopes for them.

“My expectations are pretty high and on the team as well,” he said.

Young is also thrilled to have Crockett back, and Young said he believes some of the new players added to the roster can be just as good as him. With all the talent on this roster, it’s no surprise the head coach is optimistic about this season.

“Anything less than winning the Jayhawk Conference will be pretty disappointing,” Young said.

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