With the deluge of early spring and only five practices under their belt, some rust was bound to show as the Wolverines kicked off the 2014 season March 10 against Grace Academy, on the road at Cedarcrest Golf Club.

“We’re now on the links trying to pull off shots that could take years to learn,” Coach Jack Rice noted on the heels of the team’s first match. “To say the least, my expectations were pretty low.”

Rice may have forgotten to take into account the team’s star senior because there proved to be little rust at work in the powerful swing of Kendra Meeker, who will be in pursuit of a fourth consecutive appearance at the Division 1A state championships this year (she placed 6th at the championships a year ago). Meeker came out firing on all cylinders, scoring a 37 on the front nine to lead all golfers, male and female, an auspicious start to her season.

Rice said with a bit of fine-tuning  to her “approach” game that Meeker may be able to make an impact competing at the Division 1 collegiate level. Time will tell.

Meanwhile, the Wolverines will embark on a new season with a crop of new players joining a roster of familiar faces. Returning to the links are Jesse “long ball” Kolowitz, senior Devan Rousar, Jess Hargrove (low scorer for Friday Harbor at the season opener) Eli Baker and Keegan Herbert. Joining the veterans will be big-hitter Jordan Davis, Cole Thomas, foreign exchange student Isabelle Stock and basketball star Peter Strasser (“I wish he would have started golf when he was a freshman,” Rice said, “great touch.”

Friday Harbor golf fans will have an excellent opportunity to catch the Wolverines at home this season, as five of team’s 10 matches are slated for San Juan Golf & Country Club, the Wolverines home course.

And as the weather clears, it’ll be an ideal chance to catch the team’s rising stars in action and to witness one of its best ever compete in her final year.