By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Oh, to be young, innocent and oblivious, again. No cares, no worries. No fear.
Bedford North Lawrence will start the 2026 season with the youngest team imaginable. Only one senior. Of the 21 players who have reported for the first week of practice at Otis Park, 12 are freshmen. Of the three returning with varsity experience from last year’s regional qualifier, two are sophomores. The majority of the Stars aren’t old enough to drive a golf cart.
The more important question: can they drive a golf ball? Can they find the cup in as few strokes as possible? The only number that matters is score, not age, as BNL prepares for quite an unusual journey. As Trey Turner starts his third season as head coach, perhaps he needs a child care license. BNL will have to grow up fast.
There’s pros and cons with such a young roster. The bad is the lack of experience. The good is the lack of what Turner called “scar tissue.” Golf can cut deep with bad memories. Most of the Stars haven’t suffered through those yet.
“That can build up pretty quick with this game,” Turner said. “I’m sure they will go out and swing away. There are some talented freshmen, so we’re excited to get them going, be able to grow them through the year.“
BNL’s lineup will center around senior Parker Foddrill, sophomore Evan Tillett and sophomore Hudson Martin. They were key contributors as the Stars finished second in the sectional (advancing to the second round for the state tournament series for the first time in three years) and sixth in the regional. Tillett was the sectional star with a 70 at Cascades.
”They got some experience last year, getting the feel of high school golf, so you build from there,” Turner said. “Parker’s leadership will be key with all the freshmen we have. The guys that played last year should put themselves in the lineup. Outside of that, we don’t know. Evan has the talent and should shoot scores like that, it’s getting him to do it on a consistent basis. I know he can do that. It’s as much mental as it is physical.”
The goals remain the same, regardless of the youth movement.
“Last year got the monkey off the back,” Turner said. “That’s the goal every year, to get out of the sectional. Winning the sectional is the cherry on top. Once you get to the regional, anything can happen. And that’s the goal this year. It will take getting the freshmen up to speed.”
BNL will open the season in the Seymour Invitational on April 4.
