The Hillsdale men’s golf team will start the spring ranked 11th in the G-MAC and needs to move up one spot to qualify for regional competition.

“We just need to play our game and stay in the moment at each tournament,” head coach Mike Thompson said. “It’s easy to look ahead but each day we are focused on getting better and going to play the best golf we possibly can.”

The Chargers’ fall season began with a runner-up finish at the Malone-Glenmoor Invitational in Canton, Ohio, but finished mid-pack or lower in most tournaments later in the fall.

Seniors Darragh Monaghan and Drew Gandy snagged multiple top three individual finishes throughout the fall.

“We got off to a great start in the fall, and we were wishing we had done better towards the end,” Gandy said. “We have a lot to prove this season, and we can’t wait to get out there.”

Gandy said he’s confident the team can qualify.

“Absolutely we believe we can make it to Regionals,” Gandy said. “After falling short last season, the hunger to make it this year is there.”

Max Burns, the only non-transfer freshman on the team, said Gandy is encouraging the players to practice even on their off days.

“We have a bit more motivation now,” Burns said. “That’s mainly up to our fifth-year Drew Gandy. We all want to do well, but also this is his last season and he’s made it pretty clear he wants to do well.”

The Chargers are slated to play five more tournaments before the G-MAC championships in late April.

Thompson said the team is focused on how it plays on the field.

“There is a lot of golf left and we will be playing against a lot of teams where we can get valuable head-to-head victories,” Thompson said. “If we play the way we are capable of playing, then I am confident everything will work itself out.”

The Chargers will travel to Dade City, Florida for the Saint Leo Invitational Feb. 20-21.

“We have been working hard on the parts of our game where we struggled in the fall,” Thompson said. “We are only focusing on staying in the moment in Florida.”