Much like the Redmond High School prominent golf programs, The Overlake School boys’ team, which polished off a perfect 10-0 season last year, appears to be starting another local dynasty.

The Owls return a number of solid golfers while losing just one key player — Alec Pakzad, now playing for Seattle University. The defending Emerald City League champions definitely look to be the league favorites once again after making a great run in the postseason to place fourth at the Class 1A state tournament.

“We look pretty good,” said Overlake head coach Doug Weaver. “We have a couple of new surprises, freshman guys that didn’t play last year. Danny Lee was one of them, shooting 38 the other day, and David Anderson is the other.”

Lee’s 38, a three-over-par round at The Golf Club at Redmond Ridge, was good enough for a medal, but the season will hinge on the team’s two most experienced starters who look to crash the big dance with a barrage of birdies.

“We got Reid Fredrickson back, he’ll be our No. 1 guy, and Kevin Bush, he has really improved and is probably the No. 2,” Weaver noted. “They’re all kinda coming around.”

Fredrickson peaked during the 1A state tournament last year at Columbia Point in Richland, shooting rounds of 73 and 71 for an even-par 144 total to place seventh.

“I hope to be back and in contention again,” Fredrickson said on a possible return to state. “I feel like we’ve got a really solid team this year, we’ve got some incoming freshmen that are really going to lead us. We hope to do well this season.”

With a team full of solid ball-strikers, Weaver realizes that his team’s ability to get the ball in the hole, especially with the unpredictable Pacific Northwest weather, will be key especially in the postseason.

“Consistency and putting are big issues right now,” he said on the keys to his team’s success. “We’ve been practicing on wet greens, and it was such a beautiful day (Monday), the greens dried out and they were blowin’ em by the hole.”

Weaver’s interactive and engaging style of coaching is a good fit with his kids, and first and foremost, he strives to impart the vital life lessons that can be learned through golf.

“We’re trying to build character first, integrity second, and then a never-quit attitude,” Weaver explained. “I’m trying to teach them what the heck will go on in life, whether it’s their marriage, or their job, or a boss they don’t like someday, just dealing with adversity. Most of it is staying positive, no matter what you shoot.”

Earlier this week in practice, Weaver took time to point out to his kids the banner hanging high in the school gym, commemorating the program’s 2006 season where they won the 1A state championship by half a point over Royal at Liberty Lake.

“That’s our ultimate goal,” Weaver said.

Added Bush, “This team has really revamped. We lost a senior who led the team, but we’re hoping to go undefeated.”