Greendale Golfers Earn State Berth by Winning Sectional

With three scores of 80 or better at the WIAA sectional on Tuesday, the Greendale Panthers golf team secured a WIAA state meet berth.

Senior Mike Tomczyk shot a 79 and junior Alexander Rendon and freshman Nate Thomson shot identical 80s to carry Greendale to a 325 at Brighton Dale Links in Kansasville. The Panthers were four strokes better than runner-up and the sectional’s other state qualifier Kenosha Bradford.

The Panthers take on the state’s best teams at University Ridge in Madison on Monday and Tuesday. Division 1 golfers tee off at 7 a.m. Monday and at noon on Tuesday.

Greendale coach Lance Wenger said the school made a couple of state appearances in the 1970s and won the state championship twice, including in 1978, but did not believe the Panthers had been back to state as a team since.

"The field was much smaller back then because it was a split season, some schools playing in spring and others in fall," Wenger said. "Many schools did not have teams. Not taking anything away from their accomplishments, but the field and equipment makes todays games totally different."

The Panthers have shot 310 as a team this spring, but Wenger said to play with the top teams next week they'll likely have to be in the upper 290s. 

Tomczyk was three strokes behind meet medalist Eric Van Tubbergen of Racine Case, who shot a 76. The Greendale senior shot a 39 on the front nine. Senior Dan Jensen shot an 86 for the Panthers, and senior Austin Tans had a 92.

The Panthers finished second at the Franklin Regional and won the Woodland Conference titles earlier this month.