By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
Bishop LeBlond senior and state champion golfer Sam Schoeberl will fulfill his dream of playing college golf in his home city.
Schoeberl signed his national letter of intent to play golf at Missouri Western during a ceremony at LeBlond High School Tuesday.
"I wanted to play college golf my whole life," Schoeberl said. "Now, I can represent my hometown team."
Schoeberl is coming off of an individual co-state championship run at the Class 3 state meet this past May in Sedalia. Schoeberl tied with Hallsville's Logan Cox with a score of 144 (+4) over the two-day tournament.
Having won a team title in 2021, and having been part of a team that finished second at state this past year, Schoeberl is excited to run it back in his senior season this spring.
"I'm so excited," he said. "I have no doubt that we're going to go win the state championship again and hopefully I can find myself in contention again."
Schoeberl joins a slew of St. Joseph golfers who have continued their careers with the Griffons in recent years, including some LeBlond alums.
Former high school teammate and current college sophomore Jeffrey Johnston has already made waves with Missouri Western.
Johnston ranked third in the MIAA spring rankings this past year, and he took first in the Washburn Invitational in October, earning him MIAA Golfer of the Week honors.
"Jeffrey is one of my best friends," Schoeberl said. "Seeing other local kids thrive there, I knew it was the best fit for me."
Sam Schanze is another LeBlond alum who golfed at Missouri Western in the 2020-21 season. St. Joseph Central alums Daniel Love and Jake Mikesch are current members of the Griffon golf team.
Missouri Western golf underwent a leadership change this past spring, when former coach Greg Dillon retired, and was succeeded by St. Joseph native and former Griffon golfer Matt Thrasher.
The transition felt natural for Schoeberl, as he's been talking and playing with Thrasher for quite awhile now.
"I've known Coach Thrasher forever," Schoeberl said. "We've played at the (St. Joseph Country Club) before. So, definitely him becoming head coach there meant a lot to me. I know we're going to succeed over the next few years."
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