Last year at this time the Emmaus High School golf team was in the midst of somewhat of a rebuilding season.

After graduating three state qualifiers and four other players who often figured in the team scoring in 2021, last year’s team battled to a 10-6 overall record, went 10-5 in East Penn Conference matches and finished fifth at the league tournament.

While a few players graduated from last year’s line up, several return this year, including the Hornets’ top player last year in senior Noah Schurman. As a junior Schurman finished fourth in the District 11 championships and competed in the state championship tournament.

“We have a lot of kids coming back,” said second-year head coach Patrick Birns. “We have five seniors on the team. Expectations are pretty high with this group.”

Seniors Zachary Yenawine, Andrew Kleist and Josh Tiechman return to the line up this year, while classmate Colton Beiber rounds out the senior class.

Junior Alek Fenstermaker, sophomores Kyan DeLong and Boden Rainford and freshman Evan Walters joined Schurman, Yenawine, Kleist and Tiechman in the line up for the Hornets’ first match.

Emmaus went 2-1 at the season-opening quad match, beating Pleasant Valley and Pocono Mountain East while falling 382-403. Schurman carded the lowest score of the match with a 2-under par 70, while Walters (80), DeLong (82), Yenawine and Kleist (87) made up the rest of the team score in the match played at Indian Mountain.

The rest of this year’s Emmaus golf rosters included junior Karson Krasley and Maya Schutz, sophomores Ryan Maloney and Matthew Grim.