Bemidji Boys’ Golf Making Most of Opportunities with Underclassman-Heavy Roster

The Bemidji boys’ golf team has opened the 2025 season with a third-place finish at the Monticello invite, followed by a first-place finish at the Grand Rapids Best Ball match at Pokegama.

It’s an exciting start to the year made even more exciting by the fact that the Lumberjacks are seeing production from a number of underclassmen as well as one senior, all of whom are just trying to make the most of the opportunities they’ve been given. And at the Bemidji Town & Country Club, opportunities abound.

“We have eight guys that can all make varsity, and we can all go out there and shoot 80 or better every time,” said golfer Weston Seitz, the lone senior (and upperclassman) on a squad that graduated four seniors a year go. He’s taken the opportunity to become the team’s new leader.

“A little bit changes, but not much,” he added. “Just being the senior, it’s just more being the role model for the younger seventh and eighth graders.”

That’s right—a seventh and an eighth grader both made the six-man varsity roster for the Lumberjacks’ first two matches, along with a freshman and two sophomores.

“We’ve had the occasional eighth grader, but not this many [young players],” said head coach Seth Knudson. “We brought up two eighth graders and a seventh grader to try out this year and they’re all going to probably get their opportunities.”

Jackson Fogelson is the seventh grader, and he’s relishing the moment.

“Feels pretty awesome,” he said. “I’m pretty honored to have that opportunity for a coach to call me up and give me the chance.”

Fogelson made the most of his opportunities with a 16th- and third-place individual finish in his first two varsity matches. Still, the expectations continue to grow for the young golfer.

“I feel a ton of pressure,” he admitted. “I feel like I got to go shoot like a 72 or shoot amazing, or else I feel like I’m not included, you know?”

Beckett Grand, a freshman in his second season on the varsity, says that pressure fades, however.

“Especially with being younger,” he said. “I just go out there and play, and whatever happens, happens.”

But don’t confuse that attitude with laziness. The underclassmen still put in the work.

“They really love to grind and so that really helps,” Grand added. “And we’ve been grinding early this season and it’s really shown.”

The Lumberjacks have a third- and first-place team finish, the latter of which they shot a sub-300 round, something they haven’t done in a very long time.

“First time since I’ve been [coaching],” laughed Knudson. “It’s fantastic to see those kids go out and grind and with this younger team, you kind of have in the back of your mind what might be an expectation, and then they come out and just blow it out of the water. It was super fun to watch.”

And now, the early season opportunities have turned into new expectations, although some remain a constant.

“I think our goals are kind of changing after we shot 10 over,” said an excited Seitz. “That was pretty impressive, but I think our goal, ultimately, is make it to state [as a] team and individually.”

The Jacks have a match on Wednesday, April 30th at the Brainerd Invitational, and their first home match will be Monday the following week.