When a freshman plays varsity for any sport it is considered an outstanding accomplishment.  His freshman year, Joey Williams played for KHS varsity golf.  That season would begin his dominant high school golf career.

In the Suburban South Conference Tournament, he shot a 91 and placed 33out of 58.  The team fell short of a tournament win though, as they placed 2nd by just eight strokes.

As a sophomore, Williams finished the season ninth in the conference during the regular season and earned Second Team All-Conference Honors.  Again, his team finished second in the Conference Tournament, but this time by only four strokes.

Williams had his best season yet in 2014, as he finished second overall in regular season play, was given First Team All-Conference honors, and won the Conference Tournament with a 77.  As a team Kirkwood brought home the bronze, this time by 20 strokes behind the winner, who was Webster.

“This season, as an individual, has helped me learn a lot,” Williams said.

As shown by his scores and where he’s placed, Williams has definitely grown since his freshman year.  But at Kirkwood, golf is not solely about individual victories.  Kirkwood wants to win as a team.

“So far we’ve met expectations,” B.J. Kenyon, varsity coach, said prior to the Conference Tournament.

At press time the team was 8-1.  Their only loss came to Webster, who was undefeated.  Kenyon expected his team to finish no worse than second.  The team came up short of his expectations by a mere three strokes.  Although the team did not fill their full potential, Kenyon said the 2014 season was not a disappointment.  In his 21 year tenure as coach, this is Kenyon’s second best team.

“The golf program is continuing to grow,” Ryan Rawlings, senior, said.

Rawlings explained that in his four years playing Kirkwood golf he has seen great advancements for the team, as they didn’t even make cuts in his freshman or sophomore years.  Rawlings was named to First Team All-Conference, and he finished 5th overall in the regular season.

The program continues to grow, but Kenyon and every single one of his players has one ultimate goal for the 2015 season: win the Suburban South Conference Tournament.  Kirkwood has enough talent for a championship season, and next year Williams will put in all his best efforts to try to lead his team to a Conference Tournament victory.  After all, it is quite an outstanding accomplishment to be a varsity contributor for four years.