Month: April 2013

Categories
Arts

Things to Do: Wiscoy Falls

Wiscoy Falls is one of those places that should be on every Houghton student’s bucket list. Set back a mile or so from the well-frequented Route 19, this chain of three waterfalls is a gorgeous sight to see and explore. To get there, simply drive 10 minutes north of Houghton on Route 19, and take a left at the sign denoting Wiscoy. As you follow its direction, you will come to a Y in the road, at which you should continue to the right. Very soon, you will reach the bridge that overlooks the first of the falls. Most Houghton students that expedition here will make use of the small dirt parking space next to the condemned mill building just past the bridge, and then proceed along the path that extends from there.

Courtesy of Maribeth Olson
Courtesy of Maribeth Olson

Visitors should follow this pathway through the woods, and then there is a hike across a firm dirt trail along the river. After dodging briars and climbing the dry sides of the waterfall’s shale, visitors can splash through the shallows on their way upstream. As they chase the river toward its source, visitors will encounter three waterfalls before finally being faced with the dam that spills the water down toward the Genesee. All three of these waterfalls are accessible to the adventurous expeditionary, and they all hold secrets of their own for the discovery.

As visitors approach the second waterfall from downstream, they will find the riverbed to be hazardously pot-marked with greater or lesser depressions in the rock. The deepest of these begins a short way from the strongest portion of that particular fall and extends right up to the crashing of the water. However, there is a ledge that can be traced from the right side of the falls (facing upstream) that will lead visitors along the edge of the falls. Visitors will be led to a point where their faces are stung by the spray of the water and they have no more ledge to trace, and it is at that point that visitors may let themselves fall into the powerful curtain of water and startlingly find themselves safe in an open cavern beneath that very curtain. This moderately sized cavern is my personal favorite place to explore when I travel to the falls when the water is warm.

Since it is only early spring, I would not recommend swimming at Wiscoy just yet. But you may still enjoy the picturesque scenery and take the opportunity breathe the clear air of a white-water Spring.

Categories
Arts

Houghton Palooza

Spring came just in time for Houghton’s annual outdoor music extravaganza, the Houghton Palooza, taking place this Saturday April 27 on the quad at the townhouses. This year’s event will host a musical line-up featuring of a mixture of local musicians and Houghton students.

Courtesy of samecity.com
Courtesy of samecity.com

One of the bands performing this year is Samecity. Headed by Justin and Hannah Bowersox, Samecity is an alternative/folk rock group that will be playing the songs from their new EP that was released this week. Graduate Justin Bowersox, lead vocals, said that the band’s music “[addresses] the issues of brokenness and hopelessness and reconciling them with the hope found in Christ.”

Hannah Bowersox, senior, said that for Samecity, the Palooza is “an opportunity to play for friends…they can see what we devote our hearts to.”

Many involved with the event are hoping for and expecting a big turnout. For many of this year’s performers, the Palooza is an opportunity to showcase a year’s (or more) worth of hard work and practice. Senior Dan Larson, drums of Samecity, said, “it’s nice to see all our friend’s bands and what everybody’s put together.”

Sophomore Aaron Arber and his band “Crowning Achievement” will also be playing at this year’s Palooza, performing a selection of covers and some original songs ranging from pop punk to heavy rock in genre. This is the band’s first time playing at the festival, and Arber said, “We’re going to try our best to entertain, but we’re mainly playing to have a great time.”

In addition to the musical main event, there will be several different clubs making an appearance and hosting booths. For instance, junior Nathan Hatch said that Printed Matter Press will be offering screen-printing and that the Environmental Club will offer Henna tattoos. Senior Lanthorn Committee members Hannah Hanover and Megan Specksgoor will also be joining the festivities and hosting a face-painting booth.

Hanover said that, in addition to face-painting, the Lanthorn’s booth will feature some free books as well. Hanover added that she and her fellow editor, Specksgoor, “can’t wait to relax with other clubs on campus…and to have the opportunity to share [their] enthusiasm for student art with the campus.”

Hatch said that this year will be different thanks to the involvement of several different clubs, making this year’s Palooza “a better event for everyone.”

Accompanying the music and various activities hosted by each club’s booths, Hatch said that there would be “plenty of 3 Bums pizza, cotton candy, and smoothies.” Hatch also said that Silas and Sadie Miller will be selling lemonade to raise money for Silas’ well fund in Africa.

This year’s Houghton Palooza is sure to be a “rollicking good time in the sunshine and a great opportunity to socialize, relax, and listen to live music,” said Hanover.

Categories
Sports

Spring Sports Update

The end of another school year also marks the end of an athletic season and a collegiate career for the graduates. Although Houghton athletes were honored earlier this month for their accomplishments, some athletes are still working hard to finish their seasons.

“We are looking forward to getting into year two and continuing down this road with our involvement in Empire 8,” said Athletic Director Skip Lord. “We are excited about what is happening with the National Christian College group.”

The track team participated this past weekend at the Empire 8 Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Nazareth College. The women finished fourth and the men took seventh. Freshman Tim McGowan, sophomores Mary Strand, Marina Slavin, Cara Davenport, Andrea Melhorn, Danielle Lyndsley, Jordan Cady, and juniors Leah Williams and Alyssa Figueroa had notable performances.

At the Empire 8 Championships this weekend, men’s golf finished ninth out of nine teams. Junior John Carpenter led the team with the lowest score; however, it did not figure into the team’s overall score since he did not compete in the fall. Thus, sophomore Evan Castle’s score of 367 led the team.

Courtesy of facebook.com
Courtesy of facebook.com

Last week the women’s golf team beat Keuka at the Keuka College Spring Invitational on Wednesday. Sophomore Hannah Fink led the Highlanders with a score of 94. However, the team came in third at their home tournament last Saturday. Fink led the team again, shooting 109.

As a new program, women’s lacrosse has fought hard to earn their first win. The Highlanders defeated Hilbert 14-13. Junior Amanda Zacchigna had a career high of six goals and an assist, sophomore Tyler Reese contributed three goals and an assist, and sophomore Nicole Mason had two goals and an assist.

Men’s lacrosse has been struggling as well this season. Their top scorer, senior Tyler Kempney, has been out due to injuries. They conclude their season this weekend against Bryn Athyn. Unfortunately, neither lacrosse program can participate in postseason play through NCCAA because there are not enough teams.

“It is really hard to progress as a team made of a bunch of guys who have never played before, but considering we are a new program we have done really well,” said junior Shawn Schelble. “Everyone who is playing is there because they want to play. In practice everyone is intentional and deliberate in what they do.”

The baseball team continued their winning streak against Utica this past weekend. Sophomore Kevin Cassar earned Empire 8 pitcher of the week for striking out nine hitters and walking no one. The win was a team effort, with exemplary performances from seniors Kaiden Bowers, Jacob Bannerman, Ignacio Villalobos and sophomore Seth Cornell.

“Baseball is sort of ahead of the game [regarding the new programs]. They are winning some games and knocking some of the Empire 8 teams as a brand new program,” said Lord. “Softball, although they are still looking for their first win, tend to play competitively, usually struggling in one inning.”

Senior Megan Musser, junior Samantha Patoff and sophomores Sarah Beirne and Morgan York have all competed well on the softball field. It has been a challenge with both softball and baseball playing their home and away games on a different field.

“The fact that we are away so much, makes it so difficult to keep up with our tough academic loads,” said senior Cydney Blong. “It really tests our ability to stay focused every day.”

The softball and baseball fields should be completed by this July. There will be a special board meeting on May 3 regarding the progress of the field house. Potentially, they could break ground as early as this May, meaning the field house could be completed by next April.

More change will come as the transition to NCAA continues. Tennis will be added next fall, playing a full Empire 8 schedule. Coach Charlie Ellis has already been hired and is actively recruiting. As new players come in, seniors say goodbye to their collegiate careers at Houghton.

“I have learned a lot after four years as an athlete,” said Blong. “Coach Lewis helped me to develop my faith, Coach Dougherty taught me the importance of staying focused on the prize, and Coach Shepherd helped me to learn patience and perseverance in trying situations.”

 

Categories
Arts

Senior Art Reception Tonight

At 7 p.m. tomorrow evening, the Ortlip Gallery will open to reveal the Senior Art Exhibition. This exhibit is one that art majors steadily work toward over the course of their four years at Houghton, and it is the culmination of their learning, experiences, and artistic efforts.

Courtesy of Andrea Pacheco
Courtesy of Andrea Pacheco

This show is unique in the fact that it is entirely student-run. “They install their work, set up the gallery space, and do advertising,” said Gallery Director Renee Roberts. “I do very little except help with small incidental questions and problems.”

This makes the display itself an integral part of each student’s vision for their work, and an added reason to attend the exhibit and experience how the work is presented.  “It has been exciting to see the show being installed this week,” said Hannah Jennings. “Getting to see everyone’s hard work in the setting of the gallery is always really rewarding.”

This year, senior art students have the additional challenge, and excitement, of an exceptionally large graduating class. “I’m looking forward to the wide range of work that will be shown,” said Jennings.

Art majors this year have had concentrations in every possible area of study, and the show will surely express variety, with everything on display from ceramics and sculpture, painting and drawing, to photography and printmaking, digital art and graphic design.  “I am proud of the work the seniors are exhibiting and think it reflects what a strong and healthy art department Houghton has,” said Roberts. “I am so pleased to be able to go and support and appreciate their work on a personal level.”

Students themselves have mixed feelings about pulling together the exhibit.  “I feel like in putting up your senior show there is supposed to be this sense of closure,” said Tricia Powles, “but I am now more excited to keep working than I’ve ever been. I am putting up my pieces and showing them to the public for the first time, and that is awesome and I’m a little nervous about their reception. I treat my pieces as if they were my children, they’re really important to me, and so I’m going to be nervous.”

Seniors have been advertising the show and inviting their family and friends to come and see their work. Jennings said, “It is always encouraging for the seniors to be supported by their fellow students for this show.”

It has been an intense and trying year for these seniors, who are excited and proud to have their work finally on display.  “Everyone should come see what we’ve done!” said Powles. “This is the beginning of everything.”

At the opening reception there will be music and refreshments, also provided by the seniors themselves.  And in the words of Roberts, “There is no reason for students to not be here! This is such an excellent show! Come!”

Categories
News

2013 Summer Ministry Team Starts Training

Every summer Houghton sends out a ministry team composed of six students who serve at summer camps over a 10 week period. The program is run by Betsy Sanford, Church Relations office manager, who prepares the students on the ministry team by organizing training by a variety of Houghton staff. This summer the ministry team will be led by Andrew McGinnis and made up of Emily Bradley, Jody Crikelair, Janelle Conklin, William Strowe, and Ryan Ovell.

Courtesy of facebook.com
Courtesy of facebook.com

The students are trained during the first week of the program here on campus and then travel to different camps, usually staying about six days before travelling on to another camp. The team is comprised of students with strengths in different areas so that they can assist the staff at camps in many different ways.

“When we get to a camp, if they need anything from us, we are ready to go. I think that’s what sets us apart from all the other teams that we meet over the summer because some teams are just worship bands or just counselors, whereas the six of us, we’re ready to go. Whatever task you give us we are going to execute it and execute it very well.” said Zina Teague, a student who participated in the program for two summers.

This program provides the opportunity for Houghton students to connect with youth and to work in areas about which they are passionate.

“Being at camp, student are out of their comfort zone, away from their families, immersed in nature—really a unique opportunity to form relationships with campers,” said Sanford.

Hannah Prentice, a Houghton student who took part in the program said, “My favorite part of the summer was always the nights of cabin devotions with all my girls. We would just sit around and talk about life issues and relate that to my experience and my testimony and how God has used that in my life.”

Besides relating with students about their walk in life, the Houghton team also talks to the youth about higher education and Houghton College.

“It’s not even just telling them about Houghton, it’s telling them how to be prepared for college in general,” said Teague.

Overall the aim of the ministry team is to serve other people outside of the Houghton community.

“We come in ready to serve in whatever capacity the camp leaders want us to serve, and that’s how we’ll serve,” said Teague.

Categories
News

Christians for the Mountains to Visit for Earth Day Activities

On Monday, April 22, Houghton College will be observing Earth Day. This is a day intended to raise awareness about the effects of climate change on the earth and on individuals. Allen Johnson—the coordinator and co-founder of Christians For The Mountains (CFTM)—will be speaking in Chapel at 11:30, leading an open discussion over dinner between 5:00-6:30 in the alumni dining room, and giving a lecture in the CFA at 8.

Allen Johnson helped develop the Evangelical Environmental Network while earning a masters degree from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as a founding leader of the Religious Coalition for Creation Care of which he continues on the Steering Committee.  Johnson has presented papers for The National Association of Environmental Professionals and The Colloquium on Violence and Religion, has written articles on faith and the environment, and wrote a chapter in Holy Ground: A Gathering Of Voices On Caring For Creation.

Johnson retired in 2011 to pursue CFTM work. CFTM is an initiative to summons Christians to act responsibly to God’s creation with a specific focus on the central Appalachian Mountains region. Their chief objective is the end of mountaintop removal extraction. They have been has been featured in numerous publications including Newsweek, Prism, Grist, documentary programs such as Bill Moyers Journal, and films including Mountaintop Removal and Renewal. Johnson also produced the DVD film, Mountain Mourning.

Johnson’s Chapel sermon, We Either Will Be Lovers or Else the Earth Will Die (Calling all Lovers!),will discuss the decreasing viability of Earth and its inhabitants, and the efforts of science to offer society practical solutions to restore planetary ecological equilibrium. A distinction that Johnson makes is that science, as beneficial as it is, only touches the mind. Social movements come from the heart.

Johnson’s evening lecture, Economic, Political, And Moral Considerations On The Health Externalities Of Mountaintop Mining in Central Appalachia, will be focusing more specifically, as the title suggests, on mountaintop mining in Central Appalachia. Mountaintop mining is a method of extracting coal by blasting apart a mountain layer by layer in order to extract the coal. The remaining 97% of rock debris pushed down into the valleys. Naturally this causes health concerns for local population which are some of the most impoverished in the nation.

These events will be a time where students will be encouraged to focus on the impact they have on the Earth and how we can become better stewards of our natural resources.

Categories
Opinions

Living Within Our Means

Every day there are many of us that inflict damage upon this world with our highly consumerist lifestyles.

Courtesy of http://btr.michaelkwan.com/
Courtesy of http://btr.michaelkwan.com/

My parents blew their money and their credit scores before I was even born. When they began to think about the consequences of their financial decisions, it was too late. As a result, they resolved to raise frugal, financially responsible children. “Live within your means,” was one of their top five phrases of parental advice, along with “Marry rich the first time around” and “Always check your receipt before you leave the parking lot.” (See a pattern?) “Live below your means” was employed when times were tougher or when my siblings and I perched hopefully on a stationary 25-cent ride outside of K-Mart. Living below their means was their way of remedying the damage that had already been done. However, what if we instead understand “means” as all resources available to us?

By “means,” my parents are talking about income, monetary resources.  I’ve got that down (except maybe for the money going to my private, liberal arts education). I want to know what it would look like if we lived within all of our means. The earth, the waters, air. Electricity, fossil fuels. Paper, plastic, metals. Textiles, animals, food plants. These resources are not unlimited, and when we use more than the earth can provide and more than we need, we exploit the creation within which we live and further marginalize the people who manipulate and produce the resources to cater to our indulgent lives.

So, how does one practice life within the means of the world? Perhaps, considering our current state of environmental, fiscal, and social crises, we should be living below our means for a while. Sometimes I think that the only way to do this is get rid of all I have and run away into the woods like a wild animal. As tempting as that can be, I only know one or two people who might be ready and determined enough to make such a drastic change in their lifestyles. I do not happen to be one of them.

        I agree with the wise Disney character, who once sang, “We are all connected to each other in a circle that never ends.” As long as you live, you cannot escape other life. Our actions, my actions, your actions, have an impact. Our choices make this world what it is. My parents’ decisions not only affected who I turned out to be, but also the economies, communities, and ecosystems of which they were a part. So do yours. Most often, our decisions will affect those who are poor and marginalized around the globe.

Except for the few who will leave civilization completely behind in pursuit of communion with the earth, every person will always be able to do something more to live sustainably. In a way, this idea beautifully clarifies the connectedness of all things by defining the role that humans must play at this point in our history. Our role is to act on our awareness of the state of the world’s resources. Our role is to attempt positive change, taking one step at a time toward harmony. The beauty of this lies in our human capacity to persist in the convictions that proceed from genuine reflection.

In The Long-Legged House, Wendell Berry writes, “We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us.” That is a call for radical change. Radical change exists on a continuum that ranges from extreme to reasonable. Change like this can happen one step at a time. Richard Meyer said, “We’ve got to be willing to put in sustained time and energy to create change, and we’ve got to remember that things move at a pace that may feel too slow. If we do nothing, the pace will be nonexistent.” Although he was talking about the educational system, I think this philosophy can be applied to all areas that warrant change. To begin acting on this, the question we must every day be asking ourselves is: How can I live in deeper peace with the world to which I am so closely connected, the world that supports me?

I wish my parents had considered their financial future (me) before it was too late. When I consider the way I live and consume, I will remember those who come after me. But more than that, I want to live in this moment peacefully and in harmony with the world, including the people and resources in it.

Categories
Opinions

Houghton College Encouraging Obesity

As an institution we have lost sight of what holiness is. While we vilify drinking and smoking, we actively encourage gluttony and obesity. As a Wesleyan institution, our roots are buried deep in the Holiness Movement. This movement focused on Wesley’s teachings of Christian Perfection, which holds that the heart of the born again believer could attain a state free of voluntary sin. Out of this teaching, the movement adopted practices that have become quintessentially equated with Wesleyans. Two of the more dominant practices are that of not drinking alcoholic beverages and not using tobacco products in any form. A few reasons for the exclusion of these substances are for the purpose of avoiding sin, maintaining purity and avoiding the appearance of evil.

Courtesy of http://climbforcharity.com/
Courtesy of http://climbforcharity.com/

At this point I am not much interested in delving deeper into these teachings—this is not intended to be a theological exploration—rather, I would like to turn my attention towards healthy living, and use the foundations of the Holiness Movement and Wesley’s teachings as a basis for critiquing the current health practices of the majority of Christians, Houghton students, faculty, and western society as a whole.

As Christians we are taught that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is one of the most used arguments by the adversaries of drinking and smoking. We point out the negative effects of smoke on the human lungs. Not only does the tobacco burn the lungs and deposit toxic tar, but it increases risks of heart disease, mouth cancer, and numerous other diseases. Alcohol wreaks havoc on the liver, has ruined countless lives, torn apart families, and destroyed reputations. Numerous children are affected by fetal alcohol syndrome. The fact is that alcohol can be dangerous.

Few are those that would dispute these facts. The proponents of indulging typically appeal to moderation, which is absolutely valid.

Yet as partakers in the holiness movement, I believe we have lost track of what the movement’s original purpose was. We focus on vilifying those that enjoy the substances we’ve qualified as evil; meanwhile, we continue to abuse our bodies by filling them with unhealthy foods. It has been deemed acceptable to attack smokers and drinkers, but it remains taboo to have open discussions about obesity.

Each meal, I wait in line at one of four water dispensers, nestled between 28 soda dispensers waiting to fill my cup with flavored high fructose corn syrup. The healthy food options are hidden amongst an abundance of fried food, sugary food, and sodium-filled food.  In Shenawana Hall there are two vending machines but not one water fountain.  At 5 Bites locations there are a hundred variations of corn based candy and maybe one organic food option. It is as though Houghton is actively encouraging obesity.

If our body is indeed the “temple of the holy spirit” then what should we make of these consumption habits? We condemn drinking and smoking. What about high fructose corn syrup, fried food, and all the other terrible things we ingest? Why do these fall into a different category?

Why is obesity acceptable? We used to hear talk about “freshmen 15,” now it is increasingly becoming “freshmen 30”. Worse than simply accepting obesity as a norm, we are actually encouraging it and making ourselves feel better about it. Obesity costs us approximately 147 billion dollars per year in medical expenditures. Over two thirds of all Americans are Obese.

Why is this form of self-harm any more acceptable than the other previously mentioned forms?

Categories
Opinions

“Through Our Tears We See the Tears of God”

One of my favorite crucifixion artworks is the Isenheim Altarpiece that was painted by Matthias Grunewald in 1516 during the Renaissance in (what is today) Germany. An important fact to bear in mind is that this piece was painted expressly for the Monastery of St. Anthony, which was an order that specialized in hospitalization for the plague and also for St. Anthony’s Fire– a particularly painful skin disease that resulted from the digestion of fungi from various cereals such as rye.

Courtesy of culturedart.blogspot.com
Courtesy of culturedart.blogspot.com

Knowing this, it is hard not to see the marks of these diseases in the artwork. The most gruesome aspect of the piece (indeed it is thought to be one of the most horrifying crucifixions ever painted) is the image of the crucified Christ with his body inflicted with plague-like sores and his skin carrying what is unmistakably the marks of St. Anthony’s Fire. Below the center panel there is also a small panel depicting Christ as if his leg has been amputated, another aspect of the disease that many of the sufferers had to face. But why paint Christ as such when, as we know from the Gospels, he was crucified on a cross and not condemned to a death by disease? Well, because the artist is trying to convey to the patients at the monastery that Christ understood their suffering and, as a man, had even experienced suffering on the cross.

This is the image that has haunted me as I look at the photos of the terror attack in Boston this past week. Images of people with scraps of metal and nails flayed into their skin (not unlike Grunewald’s image of the flayed Christ), images of runners and spectators who lost their limbs in the blast, pain and suffering and streams of blood on an American sidewalk in April. Is God here?

After the past year and a half of there have been extremely violent shootings at seemingly innocuous places from a mall to a movie theater, a Sikh temple to an elementary school, and now a marathon. The innocents that have been slaughtered or wounded in these instances are beyond count. The survivors mourn, we vow ‘never again’, we debate about how to prevent these instances of violence, but, all the same, innocents are still killed at the next instance of human-induced deaths. Why does this happen?

There are no easy answers to these questions — which is why, perhaps, the sufferers at Isenheim found their comfort in a crucifixion scene in which their savior identified with their pain. They could not relate to a triumphant and victorious resurrection scene; their doubts and hurts prevented that. It was the suffering of the incarnate innocent that gave them relief.


Some of you may have had the privilege of attending the campus lecture given by Nicholas Woltersdorff, who has written extensively on the suffering of God, during the semester at Houghton last year. He writes these words: “How is faith to endure, O God, when you allow all this scraping and tearing on us? You have allowed rivers of blood to flow, mountains of suffering to pile up, sobs to become humanity’s song–all without lifting a finger that we could see. You have allowed bonds of love beyond number to be painfully snapped. If you have not abandoned us, explain yourself.”

“We strain to hear,” Woltersdorff continues, “But instead of hearing an answer we catch sight of God himself scraped and torn. Through our tears we see the tears of God.”

Categories
Sports

Golf Team Hosts Invitational

The women’s golf teams will be hosting the Empire 8 Invitational this Saturday. The tournament will take place on Houghton’s home course at Allegheny Hills Golf Course in Rushford. The women will be hosting both Nazareth College and Hobart and William Smith, both established programs.

“I am really excited because it is our first match on our home course,” said sophomore Hannah Fink, “So hopefully it will be a beautiful day to compete.”

This season the golf team had two tournaments cancelled in March. One was rescheduled for this coming weekend while the other was dropped. Overall, the team has five tournaments to compete in within two weeks.

“We practiced in the sleet and rain and 36 degrees on Saturday so this recent weather has been good, especially because we only have two weeks left,” said Coach Thomas Kettelkamp.

At the Westminster Invitational last week, Fink had a score of 98, ranking thirteenth out of forty-seven competitors. The other members of the travel team included freshman Breanna Smithley and Kourtnie Franklin, sophomore Taylor Button, and senior Andrea Ypma. The women returned to Keuka this Wednesday to defend their championship title earned at the Keuka Invitational last fall.

“Hannah has been very competitive, while the others are new at the game. It is their first year and I expect them to knock their scores down quite a bit,” said Kettelkamp. “So I would not be surprised if we did not win it again.”

The golf team rarely practices with each other because of the inherent individual nature of the sport. However, they still push each other to practice and do their best as only a certain number of members are able to travel and attend each tournament.

“Although practices are individualized for what you need to work with, like your swing, [golf] is very team oriented because we are always encouraging each other to meet our next goal and do well as a team,” said Fink. “Overall, we have really good team chemistry…and we have a lot of fun.”

Both the men’s and women’s teams have new additions this spring, including freshman Maggie Reynolds and sophomore Jordan Hobba for the women’s team and, for the men, junior John Carpenter and senior Michael Ball.

Courtesy of athletics.houghton.edu
Courtesy of athletics.houghton.edu

Thus far, the men’s team has performed in one tournament, hosted by Utica College. The top performances came from Ball, Carpenter, and sophomores Evan Castle and Nathan Sircy at this match. Castle led the team with a score of 92, ranking 31st of 52 golfers. The men are currently preparing for the Empire 8 tournament this weekend in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

“Our goal for this season is to keep on improving,” said Sircy. “We are playing better than last season and we hope to keep doing so in the future.”

“Last year, we were last place in every contest. This year, the men were seventh of [nine] … and the women were eighth of [nine], that’s progress,” said Kettelkamp. “We are not going to start at the top, but I do expect to move into the mix a bit. This fall we were not, this spring I think we will be.”