The game of golf is a family affair for Tuscola’s Thomason family

By Lenny Sementi 
Three of the freshmen new to the Tuscola golf scene this fall all share the same last name and that trio is making a big donation to the squad on the links. Nate and Ty tee it up for coach Toby Ring’s boys group while their sister Zoey fires away for the girls. All three came up big this past week in a quadrangular meet versus Decatur St. Teresa, Sullivan and Fisher this past Thursday at Ironhorse Golf Club. 

Ty was the number two and Nate was the Warriors fourth score for the boys helping them to a third place finish behind state ranked Sullivan. Zoey was the third scorer for the girls shooting a 52 taking seventh overall thanks to a par on the long par 5 eighth hole helping them edge a good St. T squad by three strokes 218-221. 

Marley Good and Makenna Fiscus shared not only the top spot for the Lady Warriors in the quad but also shared medalist honors carding matching 50’s. Good, like Zoey Thomason, was even on the long eighth hole while Fiscus paired a pair penciling in 4’s on the fifth and seventh holes. Addisyn Petry and Molly Macaulay rounded out the scoring tying for 14th place overall. Macaulay came up big with a four on the dog leg right fifth hole. Isabelle Wilcox and Addison Ring served as alternates in the meet. Ring pared the second toughest hole on the course delivering a four on number four. 

One night earlier on Wednesday the 23rd the girls were 18-strokes lower upending Maroa-Forsythe on the home course at Hickory Point 203-221. Good was first overall with a 47 paring the first, sixth and ninth holes. Fiscus was just two back shooting a 47. She birdied the seventh following a pinpoint second shot to the middle of the green. Thomason followed with a 52 taking third while Wilcox ended the scoring with a 55 capturing fifth. Petry and Ring toured the course as alternates. 

“I really like our chances for our girls at conference this week,” stated Ring.  “We’ve had some close matches with Shelbyville and St. Teresa this year, but we’re playing really consistent golf right now.  I pretty much know what I’m getting out of Fiscus and Good. The variables we will be what scores we can manage out of the 3 and 4, whoever that ends up being.”

Cory Dunn pared two of the first three holes and was the Warriors number one in the loss to Sullivan for the boys shooting a 47 to take sixth place. The Thomason’s occupied the second and fourth spots for the black and gold. Ty carded a 48 with a pair of pars and Nate tied for 11th with a 50. Landon Banta and Braden Boyer also jotted down 50’s while Braydon Gough punched out a 51. Gough pared both par 5’s and a par 3 playing the first three holes one over. 

Ring took the boys to the Clinton Invite a week ago Monday on the 21st. Pars were tough to come by thanks to a tough course and a stiff wind at times. Boyer was the low man for fourth place Tuscola finishing just outside the top ten in 13th place with a 48. Jayden Gaines and Nate Thomason shot matching 54’s to tie for 18th while Gough ended his day in 23rd. Dunn and Banta were a few spots back in 26th and 27th. 

“I feel like the boys are starting to climb out of their slump at the right time,” commented the coach. “They really do hold their own fate in their hands.  I will certainly be leaning on our top three golfers, but the difference maker all year has been how well they minimize the large numbers.  I do get a sense of confidence with them heading into this week.”

Golf heads to Moweaqua for the Central Illinois Conference Tournament this Tuesday the 29th and wraps up the regular season at Lake of the Woods Golf Course taking on a very good Mahomet squad. The boys head back to Moweaqua on Monday October 6 for Regionals while the Girls head to Charleston Country Club to open the post season on Tuesday October 7 with hopes of moving onto the Sectional level.