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Snyder, Currans hope to lead Gilbert boys golf to 3rd consecutive state championship

Brock Snyder and Joey Currans aren't just two good golfers: they're best friends, and have been since pre-school.

GILBERT, Iowa — The Iowa High School Boys State Golf Tournament starts one week from Monday. In 3A, one central Iowa team is two good rounds of golf away from a dynasty. 

Led by two of the best golfers in the state, the Gilbert High School boys golf team is seeking its third consecutive state championship.

Senior Brock Snyder and junior Joey Currans both finished in the top-15 last year. The Tigers lost two other top-15 finishers to graduation, but Snyder has filled their shoes.

"I'll kind of be a third coach sometimes and help out the guys," Snyder said. "If they want another player, sometimes it's easier to relate to."

For head coach Holly Lester, that makes her job easier.

"Sometimes I just picture myself as the bus driver or the person that brings around drinks and snacks," she joked. 

But Snyder and Currans aren't just two good golfers: they're best friends, and have been since pre-school.

"They're out there, eight, nine, ten years old, you know, together playing in these junior tournaments," Lester said. "It's been really good to see them grow up together."

As friends, they share at least one thing in common: a dedication to their sport.

"If I have an hour to come out here and chip and putt, I'll take that hour because I know, every hour that you're out here, every minute that you're out here is just getting you better," Currans said.

"You can always just get better," Snyder added. "And I mean, I shot 68 and there's always mistakes that you make on the course. And sometimes those mistakes will keep you up at night, and you just want to be the best player that you can be. And that's where that passion comes from."

They have fun on the course, but they are locked into one goal right now: completing the three-peat.

"We got a target on our backs," Currans said. "Everybody kind of wants to take us down. So it's up to us. I mean, I think it's ours to win or lose. And it's out here at Veenker we've all been here a lot of times, we played a lot of rounds out here. So just to know that we could do that for a third time is really special."

In golf, there's an individual tournament champion and these teammates will be competing against each other for that crown.

"Even though Brock's my best friend and he's out there all the time. I still want to beat him. Like that's just how golf is, it's a competition," Currans said. "So winning that state championship would be really cool. I really want to win it for the team, but I have goals for myself as well."

The 3A tournament is set for May 22nd and 23rd at Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Ames.

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