Francis Howell junior Cody Stoll is an exceptional golfer.
For Stoll, though, it goes much deeper than that. He wants more than just personal success, he wants those around him to succeed and have fun with the game of golf the way he has.
So, if you ask Stoll which he took more pride in, the Vikings' first place team finish in districts and second place team finish at sectionals far outweighed the pair of second place finishes he carded as an individual at the two tournaments.
"It felt good to go out there for districts and sectionals to do well and have fun," Stoll said. "I also just really wanted to help my team out a lot. I really want the team to succeed because that makes it a fun experience for everyone."
So when Stoll and teammates Mike Wootten, Mike Staggemeier, T.J. Lyons and Alex Stear take to the state championship course at Twin Oaks in Springfield on Monday and Tuesday, Stoll will have a vested interest in more than just himself, for obvious reasons, as the team heads to the state meet for the third season in succession.
"I am very proud of my team," Stoll said. "We've got a great bunch of guys ... Great golfers. It's been very nice that we've been one of the few and the only public schools to make it to state three years in a row as a team. I think that gives us a big boost of confidence to do well."
"I love going to tournaments as a team," Stoll added. "It's much better than doing it as an individual. Two rounds in the 70s would be great. (I want to do) anything to help my team out. Sure, a 69, 70 or 71 would be great. All I am looking for is just to make pars and birdies if they come. All I want is pars and a good solid round in the mid-70s would be great to help the team."
Stoll's coach, Howell mentor Carl Wayne, said he sees just how his player's love of the game and genuine fondness for his teammates makes him the perfect high school golf player.
And that's to say nothing of how talented a golfer Stoll is and all the work he puts into his craft.
"Cody has played well all year, but I think he's just picked it up a notch once we hit the postseason," Wayne said. "He is just consistent with his game and he works so hard. He knows so much about his swing and the fundamentals and mechanics of a golf swing, in general."
As far as his personal critique of his game goes, Stoll said he feels shooting a +4 in districts and a +7 in sectionals are largely by-products of two things -- calmness and hard work when the ball nears the green.
"It is definitely my short game," Stoll said. "That's where I've been the most consistently on fire. Once I get near the green, I feel really calm so that I can score a par or even a solid birdie."
While success this week in Springfield is important for Stoll, so is being around golf in the long term.
In fact, Stoll said he would love nothing more than to make the game his career.
"I haven't thought about college golf right now," Stoll said. "I am thinking about going into a program to learn about golf, though, to teach golf as an instructor. I haven't had a lot of lessons in my life but when I did, I found a sense of joy. Throughout the years, I have actually taught my younger brother and I enjoyed it."
Wayne, a teacher himself, says he feels as if Stoll would be perfect in the role of a teacher of the game of golf.
"There are a lot of kids that can play and there are a lot of kids that can play real well," Wayne said. "In addition to playing well, Cody is the type of kid that can look at a swing and say ‘hey, try this' or ‘you need to fix that'. Cody can see the swing of others and make instant corrections with it. He has definitely got a future in that area."
Other St. Charles County golfers who will also be competing at the Class 4 state meet include: Zumwalt West's Connor Brady; Timberland's Zachary Cutler, Ryan Keller, Jackson Lane, Josh O'Hearn and Jonathan Roberson; Troy Buchanan's Taylor Hutson and Kyle Stratman; Holt's Corey Robertson and Jacob Spiegel and Francis Howell North's Clint Toedtman.
Chris Percy from St. Charles West and Christopher Pestka of Duchesne will be competing in the Class 3 tournament at Silo Ridge in Bolivar.
Barat's Trevor Cronin, O'Fallon Christian's Jake Hare and Lutheran St. Charles' Alexander McKay, Matthew Niewald and Justin Wrozier will all compete in the Class 2 tournament at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield.
