Buena Vista Fall Classic

• PREVIEW
• RECAP/RESULTS

The Event... The Northwestern College men's golf team will make its 2009 fall season debut this weekend as they play in the Buena Vista Fall Invitational. Play will begin with a noon shotgun start at the Lake Creek Country Club in Storm Lake, Iowa.

Teams...14 teams will compete this weekend, including three from Buena Vista, two from Briar Cliff and one each from Doane, Mount Marty, Dordt, USF, Dakota Wesleyan, Waldorf, Morningside and Hastings.

NWC Lineup... Coach Bloemendaal's lineup will feature Luke Vermeer, Jon Roberts, Michael Clark, Aaron Rozeboom and Johnny Schwaller. Michael Dykema and Ross Kiewiet will play as individuals.

Outlook... The Raiders return four of their top seven golfers from a 2008-09 season in which NWC finished sixth out of 11 teams at the GPAC Championship. Seniors Luke Vermeer and Jon Roberts are the top players returning for Coach Bloemendaal's squad. Vermeer posted the seventh best scoring average (76.2) in the program's history last season and finished in the top 10 six times. He earned all-conference honors for the second straight year and is the current all-time leader in scoring average (75.58). Roberts enjoyed a successful first season as a Raider in 2008. The transfer from York College carried a stroke average of 82.2 and recorded three top 10 finishes. Aaron Rozeboom played in eight events last season as a freshman and recorded a stroke average of 83.6 with three top 25 finishes. Another freshman, Ross Kiewiet, played in nine events last season and ranked seventh on the team with a 83.9 average. They will be joined by a talented recruiting class including Michael Clark, Johnny Schwaller and Michael Dykema who will be playing in their first collegiate meet.

Last Year... Northwestern finished second out of eight teams with a team score of 309 and finished four shots in back of champion Buena Vista with a 305. Wayne State (313), Briar Cliff (314) and Dordt College (315) rounded out the top five. Individually, the Red Raiders were led by senior Justin Pannkuk who carded a one-over 73 and finished all alone in third place. It was the second straight top five finish for Pannkuk. Jon Roberts shot a three-over 75 to finish in sixth place and Luke Vermeer tied for 11th place with a five-over 77. Josh Reed of BVU won overall medalist honors with a four-under 68.

Up Next... The Raiders will play at the Morningside Invite on Tuesday, Sept. 8.