The nucleus of this spring’s Oak Harbor boys golf team will be formed by three players who were among the squad’s top six last year.

The trio, Quinnton Wallace, Jacob Nelson and Caleb Knaack, will be joined by key newcomer senior Elias Whitefoot.

Whitefoot played for the Wildcats as a freshman and then moved out of state before returning this year.

Coach Jeff Pryor said his club’s strength is that “four of our top six players have match experience.”

From there it drops off as eight members of his team are freshmen.

The newcomers have big golf bags to fill as the Wildcats lost four-time state participant and two-time, first-team all-league performer Judd Ford to graduation. Also gone is Ford’s classmate, Greg Martin, another state qualifier and a second-team, all-league choice.

Pryor said the team’s goal is to “make the top three in the conference and take at least one golfer to the state tournament.”

The journey to those goals begins when Oak Harbor goes to Jackson Park Tuesday, March 27, at 2:45 p.m. for the season opening match with Shorewood and Marysville Getchell.  The Wildcats aren’t at home until Thursday, April 19, with Mountlake Terrace and Getchell at 3 p.m.