By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
There is good news and bad news as the Niles varsity golf team prepares for its season opener on Monday.
The good news is that the Vikings only have to replace one player from last year's squad.
The bad news? That player is individual state champion Ben Landgraff.
Veteran Niles coach Greg Gunder knows that he will now be able to replace his four-year standout, however, he feels that this year's squad has a chance to be a good one.
Niles shared the Big 16 Conference West Division title with Lakeshore last season and is looking to maintain their piece of the championship in 2005.
Returning to battle for the vacant No. 1 spot in the Vikings' line up will be senior co-captain Scott Majerek and sophomore co-captain Alex Welch.
While Gunder didn't know exactly how his line up would shape up since practice only began on Thursday, he did say that senior Chris Haas, junior Nick Horn and sophomores DJ Wolnick, Jeff Jurgonski and David Neuman would be in the top seven.
Gunder said that Lakeshore and St. Joseph will be among the teams to beat in the West.