2022 SEASON REVIEW

VAN PELT WRAPS UP SEASON AT REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

April 21 (Huntsville) – Senior Will Van Pelt (above left with Coach Parker James) wrapped up his season at the 4A Region III Golf Tournament in Huntsville Thursday afternoon.  Van Pelt fired a +29 (100) in round one and followed that up with a +24 (95) in the final round.  His total of +53 (195) put him in a tie for 50th in the two-day tournament held at Raven Nest Golf Course.

FORMER BEAR BURKE EXCELLING FOR TEXAS STATE

April 2 (San Marcos) – LCM graduate and Texas State University freshman golfer Jack Burke (above) has had quite a freshman year.  Burke’s freshman year began this past fall with tournaments in Houston, Alabama, and Hawaii and along with that came great success academically as he made the Dean’s List.  This spring Jack has excelled in the Bobcats late tournament season run.  A tie for 29 at the All-American Intercollegiate was tied for the low tournament score for Texas State and then this past week Burke was instrumental in the Bobcat’s third place finish in Baylor University’s match-play event in Waco.  “Today was a great day to learn and get better as we come to the conference championship time of the season,” said Texas State men’s golf head coach Shane Howell. “The guys struggled a bit off the start with the match-play format but rallied late in losing some close matches to UTSA in the morning match.  In the afternoon matches, the guys were a lot more comfortable and played some great golf,” Howell said. “Our freshman, Jack Burke, won his last two holes in the anchor match to secure our win against Abilene Christian. This should give the team and him a great source of confidence when we arrive at the Sun Belt Championship.”  The Bobcats travel to Charlottesville, Virginia, to compete in the University of Virginia’s Lewis Chitengwa Memorial April 11 and 12.  This will be the last tournament for the Bobcats before entering the Sun Belt Conference Championship in late April.

BEARS FOURTH AT DISTRICT – VAN PELT QUALIFIES FOR REGIONALS

March 29 (Beaumont) – Senior Bear golfer Will Van Pelt (above) qualified for the 4A Region III Regional Golf Tournament Tuesday afternoon at the 22-4A District Golf Tournament at Henry Homberg Golf Course.  Van Pelt fired an 86 Monday and followed that with a round of 90 Tuesday to post a two-day total 176.  Van Pelt finished 7th overall individually and posted the best score outside of the top two teams advancing to grab one of two individual qualifier spots in the Regional tournament.  Junior Gavin Laffitte just missed out on the second Regional individual qualifier spot, losing in a playoff to Conner McCollum of Lumberton.  The Bears shot a team score of 803 to finish 4th in the team standings behind Champion Orangefield (680), 2nd place Bridge City (688), and 3rd place Lumberton (801).  Laffitte finished with an 89-89/178, Lance Hodkinson shot a 108-109/217, Jacob Johnson posted a 113-125/238, and Zade Roy finished with a 136-119/255.

BEARS WRAP UP REGULAR SEASON IN WARREN TOURNEY

March 21 (Village Mills) – The Bears teed it up in the Warren/Wildwood Varsity Boys Invitational Golf Tournament Monday morning.  The tournament was the final regular season tourney of the season for the Bears.  Gavin Laffite led the way for LCM with a round of 93.  Senior Will Van Pelt followed with a 98, Lance Hodgkinson carded a 106, Zade Roy finished with a 111, and Jacob Johnson posted a 122.  The Bears will be back on the course as they look to defend their district title in the 2022 22-4A District Tournament on Monday and Tuesday (3/28-29) at Henry Homberg Golf Course in Beaumont.  

BEARS TEE IT UP IN BC TOURNEY

March 7 (Orange) – The Bears teed it up Monday morning in the Bridge City Cardinal Invitational at Sunset Grove Country Club.  The Bears finished 11th in the 14-team field with a team score of 423.  Orangefield took 1st with a score of 339 while Nederland finished 3rd with a 350.  Gavin Laffite had the low round for the Bears with a score of 94.  Will Van Pelt shot 96, Jacob Johnson fired a 109, Lance Hodgkinson carded a 124, and Noah Brown finished with a 139.  LCM will tee it up again in the Warren Invitational at Wildwood Golf Course on Monday, March 21.

BEARS FINISH 5TH AT NEDERLAND TOURNEY

March 1 (Port Arthur) – The Bear Golf team hit the links Tuesday morning at the Nederland Bulldogs Varsity Invitational.  Babe Zaharias Golf Course in Port Arthur was the host course for this years tournament.  The Bears posted a team score of 389 to finish fifth overall in the 8-team field.  Will Van Pelt led LCM with a round of 89 followed by Gavin Laffitte (90), Lance Hodgkinson (104), Jacob Johnson (112), and Caleb Hamilton (150).  The Bears will be back on the course Monday (3/7) when they play in the Bridge City Cardinal Invitational at Sunset Grove Country Club in Orange.

VAN PELT TAKES 1ST AT WEST BROOK TOURNEY

February 17 (Beaumont) – Senior Will Van Pelt (above) took first place overall at the West Brook Invitational Thursday morning at Bayou Din Golf Course.  Van Pelt fired a round of 78 while fellow Bears Gavin Laffite shot 88, Cohen Arney carded a 94, and Noah Pervan finished with a 150.

BEAR GOLF TAKES 5TH AT ANAHUAC

February 9 (Anahuac) – The Bear Golf team travelled to Anahuac Wednesday morning to take part in the Anahuac Panther Invitational.  LCM took 5th overall in the 12-team tournament with a team score of 383.  Orangefield won 1st with a 326, Warren finished 2nd with a 340, and West Brook took 3rd with a 350.  Senior Will Van Pelt (above) led the Bears with a round of 90.  Gavin Laffite fired a 94, Lance Hodgkinson carded a 96, Ian Broussard shot 103, and Cohen Arney also finished with a 103.

BEARS SHOW BIG IMPROVEMENT IN 2ND TOURNEY

February 1 (Beaumont) – The Bear Golf team teed it up in the Vidor Pirate Invitational at Brentwood Country Club.  The Bears finished with a 399, improving by 21-strokes from their first tournament.  Senior Will Van Pelt had the low round for the team as he finished with an 87.  Cohen Arney fired a 97, Gavin Laffite shot a 99, Ian Broussard carded a 116, and Lance Hodgkinson rounded out the scoring with a 118.  The boys will head to Anahuac next Wednesday (2/9) to play in the Anahuac Panther Invitational at Chambers County Golf Course.

NEW LOOK BEARS TEE IT UP AT IDYLWILD

January 10 (Sour Lake) – The Bear golf team began the 2022 season Monday morning at the Hardin-Jefferson Invtational held at Idylwild Golf Course.  This years team has and new head coach (Parker James) and only one returning player (Will Van Pelt) from last years state qualifying team.  Gone are 4-year letterman Jack Burke, Travis Love, and Wyatt Wozniak.  That team left big shoes to fill as they won two district titles, a regional championship, and two state championship appearances in three years (Burke won the Individual 4A State Championship in 2019).  This years team looks to fill those shoes with Van Pelt returning for his senior season and Gavin Laffite, Jacob Johnson, and Lance Hodgkinson moving up from JV.  Zade Roy is in his first year with the team.  As for the tournament, the Bears finished 7th  in the 15-team field with a team score of 420.  H-J (351) won the tournament with Bridge City (360) taking 2nd and Huffman (384) 3rd.  Laffite led the Bears with a round of 91 followed by Van Pelt (98), Hodgkinson (101), Johnson (130), and Roy (151).  Next on the Schedule is the Vidor Invitational on February 1st at Brentwood Country Club.

COACH HARRELL RECOGNIZED BY SETCA

For the past few years Coach Johnnie Kay Harrell has been the head coach for both the girls and boys golf teams.  Last year Harrell’s girls team won District, qualified for Regionals, and Montana Dileo qualified for the Girl’s 4A State Tournament.  Harrell’s boys team won District, won Regionals, and made it to State for the second time in three years – the 2020 tournament was cancelled due to COVID.  Jack Burke won his third District title, second Regional title, and finished 4th at State after winning the State Championship in 2019.  With the tremendous success of the boys program, Coach Harrell was name “Boys Golf – Coach of the Year” by the South East Texas Coaches Association. 

Head Coach

PARKER JAMES