“At Northern schools like we are, you’re just trying to find some things early in the spring, and you’re hoping by late March or early April, it kind of clicks,” he said.
“I think things are starting to click, and we’re seeing some good things, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”
The Raiders broke out of their year-long blahs with a one-stroke victory in Northern Kentucky’s 14-team event April 7-8, and the Horizon League preseason favorites followed that with a 12-shot win in the 12-team Wright State Invitational at Heatherwoode on Sunday and Monday.
They’ll try to defend their title in the three-round league championships Saturday through Monday at Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.
They’ve gone first, second and first under Lash and are looking to become the first back-to-back champs since Cleveland State won five straight from 2014-18.
Credit: Joseph R. Craven
Credit: Joseph R. Craven
“We have a ton of talent, and I still think, if we’re playing our best, we can’t be beat. I truly believe that, and I think the guys believe that. But Horizon Leagues schools can play with us,” Lash said.
“We’ve got to just kind of stay in our own little bubble and worry about ourselves and play our game.”
Sophomore Timmy Hollenbeck, who finished second in the league tourney to teammate Andrew Flynn last year (losing a two-hole playoff), stormed to his second individual title of the year at Heatherwoode.
He was 12-under for three rounds, while Flynn, a fifth-year player, was third at 7-under.
The Raiders’ other three starters were in the top 21: junior Adam Horn (3-under), junior Shane Ochs (1-under) and fifth-year player Brock Rumpke (even par), while junior Ian Asch, playing as an individual, was 16th at minus-1.
“Everybody’s in a better spot than they were a month or a month and a half ago. That’s probably the most important thing,” Lash said.
The Raiders have gone 21-1 against the other nine HL schools (Milwaukee doesn’t have a team) in their 10 events this year. Their only “loss” was when Oakland nipped them by one place in the Daytona Beach Intercollegiate on March 3.
But Wright State finished first at Oakland’s home event in September.
“It’s going to be a dogfight. Every year is. A couple years ago, we got second,” Lash said.
At the end of the day, you’re going to conference for three days, and anything can happen. The pressure’s on. You’ve got to show up and play, and you’ve got to hit the shots that need to be hit."
The Raiders have had the last three medalists with Flynn, Tyler Goecke and Mikkel Mathiesen.
They have the second-most team titles with eight, trailing only Cleveland State’s 10.
The league women’s tourney (Wright State is one of three schools without a team) will be held at the same time at the El Campeon course at the Mission Inn Resort and Club.
“I’m really excited to get there. In the spring, you’re just building and trying to get your game in a good spot, trying to get the guys’ head space in a good spot,” Lash said.
“It’s the end of the year. It’s going to be warm. It’s going to be at a place we know.”
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