The Ironton Fighting Tigers golf team is doing its impression of a home run hitter. They are going deep.

The Fighting Tigers will be able to go deep into their roster this season as they look to improve on last season that saw them finish second in the sectional tournament and seventh in the district match.

"We definitely have more depth this year. That should really help us," Ironton coach Jeff Kerns said.

Six seniors headline a team that lost just one player, Nick Boggess, from last season.

Dennis Gagai, the team's No. 1 player last season, tops the list of returning players. He is joined by seniors Jay Rudmann, Seth Haynes and Gavin Harbolt. The returning junior starter is Seth Christian.

"Dennis continues to improve. He's worked hard and stepped his game up," Kerns said.

Kerns is looking forward to the contributions of Rudmann, Harbolt and Haynes who played well at the end of last season.

"Those guys are improved," Kerns said. "Those guys have played only two, maybe two and a half years, but they've improved and they make us a deeper team. It helps when you have five or six guys out there playing all winter. They were even out there when there was snow on the ground."

The lone new addition to the squad is freshman Nathan Kerns, son of the head coach.

"Nathan will push our top two guys hard. He's going to be a good player. He just needs to be consistent," Kerns said.

Also expected to push for playing time are seniors Blake Roth and Drew Sanders.

Kerns said the schedule will be difficult once again.

"Portsmouth will be stronger, and Piketon will be strong, too. They have four seniors who went to the state as sophomores. There are a lot of teams who are improved this year," Kerns said.

Kerns will be assisted by Tony Brown, a 13-year coaching veteran who was an All-American golfer at Shawnee State University and is a member of the school's athletic Hall of Fame.

"Tony has a great knowledge of the game. He's a big part of our success," Kerns said.

Both Kerns and Brown helped Ironton to the state tournament as players.

Ironton Fighting Tigers

2005 Golf Roster

PlayerGr.

Dennis Gagai12

Jay Rudmann12

Seth Haynes12

Gavin Harbolt12

Blake Roth12

Drew Sanders12

Seth Christian11

Nathan Kerns9

Head coach:

Jeff Kerns

Assistant coach:

Tony Brown

2005 Schedule

August

15Ironton Invitational9 a.m.

17at Jackson2:30

18at Elliott Co., Ky.4:00

22at Portsmouth Clay4:00

24at Russell, Ky.4:00

27at Huntington Invit.8 a.m.

29Quad @ Ironton4:00

South Point/W. Union/Elliott County

31Triangular at Ironton4:00

September

1at Greenup Co., Ky.4:00

6at West Union4:00

7at Meigs4:30

8Quad at Ironton4:00

Jackson/Russell/Fairland

12Quad at Ironton4:00

Chesapeake/South Point/Greenup

13at Portsmouth West4:30

15at Portsmouth4:00

19at Gallipolis4:00

22Triangular at Ironton4:30

Meigs/Ashland

24at Meigs11 a.m.

26Sectional at Shawnee

October

3District at Cooks Creek

5State at Columbus