The future is bright for the Cheney High boys golf team. The present: Same.
The Blackhawks, with a core of four sophomores, one junior and one freshman, have earned Greater Spokane League and 3A District 6 titles. They’re chasing the program’s first state title since 1989 when they tee it up at the Creek at Qualchan in the 3A state tournament Tuesday and Wednesday.
“They’ve come to know how I like to look at things,” second-year coach Justin Fayant said. “The first thing is to make the cut, the top eight. My goal, I don’t want it to be to win it because if we end up second and play great golf I don’t want the team to be disappointed with that.
“I want us to set the bar realistically and after Day 1 if we’re in the top three, our goal is to get the job done.”
Fayant was aware the program was on the rise when he took the job two years ago with then-freshmen Justin Krasselt and Ryan Howe. Fayant had been around several of his future players while coaching C team basketball and he also volunteered to help at golf practices several years ago.
Fayant was asking predecessor Jeff Pike questions to learn more about coaching during a round of golf a few summers ago when Pike told him he was retiring from coaching and teaching.
“He told me he retired from golf and there were really good kids coming in,” Fayant recalled. “He didn’t want to retire in the middle of their careers so a new coach could be there all four years.”
Cheney made inroads last season and broke through this year for its first GSL title since joining the league six years ago. The program’s conference title dry spell apparently goes back decades since competing in the Frontier League.
The Blackhawks are led by sophomores Krasselt, the GSL player of the year with a 68.25 scoring average, and Howe, who was fourth at 70.25. Sophomores Brayden Anderson and Blake Kernen were right behind at 73.75, followed by junior Kyren Fleming at 76.25.
“Our practices are very competitive,” Krasselt said. “It’s not like a senior just running a practice. We’re all trying to beat each other. It’s nice because we’re all competing against each other.”
Krasselt posted scores of 67, 67 and 68 in three of the five GSL matches. Howe and Kernen each had one round in the 60s and Anderson shot a 1-under 71 at MeadowWood. Fleming scored in the 70s in all five GSL events.
Krasselt’s mom, Shelly, and Howe’s mom, Brenda, were teammates on Eastern Washington’s golf team. Howe is in her 16th season as EWU women’s golf coach.
“It’s funny with Justin and Ryan,” Fayant said. “They’re neck and neck with each other. Ryan is more of an athlete and just a competitor and fiery. Justin is really calm. You don’t expect him to be great when you’re watching him warm up. Then you see him play a round and he doesn’t make many mistakes.
“They’re both kind of calm, just different approaches.”
Fayant, who grew up in Liberty Lake and graduated from Central Valley, played one season of college basketball at a small school in Minnesota. He played golf mostly with family growing up but really became avid about the game after his hoops career.
“It was a couple years before I got any good at it,” Fayant said. “My players certainly are better than me, they know that. I never try to tell them, ‘This is how you’re going to swing the club.’ ”
Fayant over the years has quizzed golf coaches for tips, drills and pointers he can pass along to his players. One of those conversations was with Brenda Howe prior to his first season as head coach.
“She has college coaching experience,” Fayant said. “She’s given me a lot of insight and drills to do. (Shelly Krasselt and Howe) both know the game and have the experience. They offer insights on things like how to do practice rounds that I don’t have experience with.”
Cheney players, knowing Qualchan was the site of the state tournament, have mixed in rounds at Qualchan since last summer.
“We’ve tried to be intentional about getting out there,” Fayant said. “They’ve gone out on the weekends, played it on their own.”
One final test awaits.
“I think we were third last year in the GSL,” Krasselt said after the Blackhawks wrapped up the GSL title. “We’re trying to play as good as we can and see what we can do. We’re played pretty good this season.”
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