Haven Brown should be the cornerstone of the Oak Harbor High School boys golf team for quite a while.

As a freshman last spring, Brown earned first-team, all-league honors and qualified for the state meet, where he finished 75th.

“I expect him to be our team leader and do well again this season,” coach David Smith said. “He should be one of the top players in the north league this season.”

Three other lettermen — Nick Whitley, Mathew Boyd and Ryan Evans — return, and one, Whitley, was a district qualifier in 2016.

“Haven Brown and Nick Whitley both play golf over the summer and come into the season with skill sets that should make them successful this season,” Smith said.

A key newcomer is freshman Nick Krantz.

“I expect great things from him this season,” Smith said. “I know he has the ability to score low and should be a great asset to the team this season.”

With youngsters Brown and Krantz leading the way, Smith said he is “expecting great things for the future” of the program.

The goals this season are to get three or four golfers to state and finish among the top three teams in the Wesco North, Smith said.

Oak Harbor will host the Purple Cup at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 16. All of the teams involved — Oak Harbor, Lakes Stevens, Edmonds-Woodway and Wenatchee — have purple as one of their school colors.