•  Laker girls win four-straight WCC meets to extend lead

The Minnewaska Area girls golf team increased its conference lead last week with four-straight WCC victories at Benson and Minnewaska last Wednesday, and at BOLD and Montevideo, Friday.

The Lakers have won all seven WCC meets for 49 total points, while BOLD is in second with 40 points.

Earning medalist honors for the Lakers last week were Arivia DeBoer and Annika DeBoer twice each and Ava Kollman once.

The team is set to golf in the final WCC meet at Morris, Tuesday (tomorrow) before golfing at the Brainerd Invitational, Wednesday and the Lakeville South Invite, Friday and Saturday.

WCC meets at Benson-home

The Lakers won a pair of conference meets last Wednesday at home and at Benson.  Minnewaska has now won the first five WCC meets of the season with BOLD placing second each time.

Arivia DeBoer earned medalist honors in both competitions, shooting a 40 at the Minnewaska course and 38 at Benson.

Annika DeBoer placed second in both meets with a 42 at home and 41 at Benson, while Ava Kollman tied for second at Benson with a 41 and tied for fourth at home with a 44.

In addition, Lexi Barsness had a season-best score of 43 during the second meet of the day at Minnewaska to place third.  Also golfing for the Lakers were Lillie Ogdahl, Kyra Nelson and Anna Kollman.

WCC at BOLD-Monte

The Lakers won both WCC meets, Friday, at BOLD and Montevideo, winning by 28 strokes over Melrose with a 161 total at BOLD and also winning by 12 over the Dutchmen with a 172 total at Montevideo.

Minnewaska had four players in the top five at BOLD as Annika DeBoer and Ava Kollman tied for medalist honors with 39s, Arivia DeBoer had a 40 for third, and Lexi Barsness shot a 43 to tie for fourth.

•  At Montevideo, Annika DeBoer’s 40 led the way for all the golfers, while Arivia DeBoer had a 43 to place third, Ava Kollman was fourth with a 44, and Lillie Ogdahl and Lexi Barsness had 45s to tie for sixth.

WCC meet at Benson

Girls team scoring:  

(1) Minnewaska 167  (2) BOLD 186  (3) Melrose 207  (4) Sauk Centre 227  (5) Benson 229  (6) Morris Area 242  (7) WCA incomplete

Girls top five:  

(1) Arivia DeBoer, Min 38  (2) tie, Ava Kollman, Min; Annika DeBoer, Min, both 41  (4) tie, Kenna Henriksen, BOLD; Lexi Hunter, WCA, both 42

Minnewaska results:  (1) Arivia Deboer 38  (2) Ava Kollman 41  (2) Annika DeBoer 41  (8) Lexi Barsness 47  (10) Lillie Ogdahl 49  (18) Kyra Nelson 56  (20) Anna Kollman 57

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WCC meet at Waska

Girls team scoring:  

(1) Minnewaska 169  (2) BOLD 192  (3) Melrose 208  (4) Benson 239  (5) Sauk Centre 247  (6) Morris Area 261  (7) WCA incomplete

Girls top five:  

(1) Arivia DeBoer, Min 40  (2) Annika DeBoer, Min 42  (3) Lexi Barsness, Min 43  (4) tie, Ava Kollman, Min; Izzie VanBeck, Mel, both 44

Minnewaska results:  (1) Arivia DeBoer 40  (2) Annika DeBoer 42  (3) Lexi Barsness 43  (4) Ava Kollman 44  (12) Lillie Ogdahl 52  (17) Kyra Nelson 55  (17) Anna Kollman 55

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WCC meet at BOLD

Girls team scoring:  

(1) Minnewaska  161  (2) Melrose 189  (3) BOLD 195  (4) Morris 185  (5) Sauk Cen 227 (6) Benson 241  (7) WCA inc

Girls top five:  

(1) Annika DeBoer, Min 39 and Ava Kollman, Min, 39  (3) Arivia DeBoer, Min 40  (4) tie, Lexi Barsness, Min; and Emily Rieland, Mel, both 43

Minnewaska:  (1) Annika DeBoer 39  (1) Ava Kollman 39  (3) Arivia DeBoer 40  (4) Lexi Barsness 43

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WCC meet at Montevideo

Girls team scoring:  

(1) Minnewaska 172  (2) Melrose 184  (3) BOLD 186  (4) Sauk Centre 218  (5) Benson 223  (6) Morris 249  (7) WCA incomplete

Girls top five:  

(1) Annika DeBoer, Min 40  (2) Kenna Henriksen, BOLD 42  (3) Arivia DeBoer, Min 43  (4) tie, Ava Kollman, Min; Emily Rieland, Mel, both 44

Minnewaska results:  (1) Annika DeBoer 40  (3) Arivia DeBoer 43  (4) Ava Kollman 44  (6) Lillie Ogdahl 45  (6) Lexi Barsness 45

•  West Central Area and Lakers are tied going into final boys’ meet

The WCC boys golf title will come down to the wire after West Central Area won three conference meets last week and Minnewaska won one.  Through seven meets, the Lakers and Knights both have 51 points, while Morris Area is third with 42.

During last week’s action, Minnewaska Area placed second and third at WCC meets at home and Benson last Wednesday, earned second in a 9-team meet at Kimball, Thursday, and placed first and second at WCC meets at Montevideo and BOLD, Friday.

In the results that follow is also information about the Fairmont Invitational, May 6, a 13-team affair won by the Lakers.

The boys are set to golf at the Becker Invitational, Monday, play in the final WCC meet at Morris, Tuesday (tomorrow), and host the Minnewaska Boys Invitational, Saturday.

Fairmont Invitational

The Lakers won the 13-team Fairmont Invitational, Saturday, May 6, competing against all AA teams, including many from Section 3AA.

The Lakers had a four-person total of 314 to edge Luverne by two strokes and Marshal by 13.

Zach Gugisberg and Riley Larson led Minnewaska with top-five scores.  Gugisberg shot a 74 on the par-72 course to tie for third, while Riley Larson was right behind with a 76 to tie for fifth.

Blake Nelson and Thatcher Sherlin also had great days, shooting 82s to tie for 10th, while Chase Wacker added a 96, Kody Ward added a 102 and Ethan Peterson carded a 126. 

Earning medalist honors was Henry Hartquist, a junior from Luverne, who had an even-par round of 72 to win by one stroke over a golfer from Fairmont.

“This is a great tournament for our guys to play in as it gives us an opportunity to compete against teams from our section that we wouldn’t normally see during the season,” coach Dave Drexler said.  “I’m proud of the work our Lakers have been putting in this year.  Pretty much everyday after practice our guys are staying after and working on their games.  We’re really starting to see the practice time pay off in shot quality and shot selection.

“To come away with a first place trophy is great, but more importantly, this was just a fun weekend and a great bonding experience for our team.”

WCC at Waska-Benson

The Lakers competed in two WCC meets last Wednesday at home and Benson.  Minnewaska placed second at the meet at the home course, losing to WCA by one stroke, while the Lakers placed third at Benson after finishing only one stroke behind team champion WCA and losing a tiebreaker to Morris Area for second.

Riley Larson tied with Morris’ Charlie Hanson for medalist honors during the morning meet at Minnewaska with rounds of 37.

Thatcher Sherlin placed fifth for Minnewaska Area with a 41, followed by Blake Nelson in 12th (46), Zach Gugisberg in 16th (47), Garrett Jungclaus in 25th (49), Kody Ward (51) and Jackson Ziesmer (52).

WCA had a 170 total to place first at the Minnewaska course, while Minnewaska was second with 171 and Morris Area third with a 180 total.

•  After a short break, the golfers competed at Benson in the afternoon.  This time, things were even more tight as WCA won the competition with a four-person total of 159, while Morris Area and Minnewaska Area tied for second, only one stroke back.

Charlie Hanson tied his WCC record with another 31 to earn medalist honors, while Riley Larson placed third for the Lakers with a one-over 37.

Zach Gugisberg added a 40 to place seventh, while Blake Nelson had a 41 and was eighth followed by Thatcher Sherlin (42), Garrett Jungclaus (48), Kody Ward (50) and Chase Wacker (50).

Kimball Invitational

The Lakers golfed at the Kimball Invitational, Thursday, finishing second of nine teams in a meet won by Osakis.  The Silverstreaks had a 328 total to edge the Lakers by seven strokes.

Zach Gugisberg earned medalist honors for the Lakers with a even-par round of 72, while Riley Larson was ninth with an 82, Blake Nelson was 17th with a 90, and Kody Ward and Thatcher Sherlin carded 91’s to tie for 22nd.

WCC at BOLD-Monte

The Lakers won the meet by two strokes at Montevideo with a 158 total, while WCA earned first at BOLD by four strokes.  That puts the two teams in a tie with 51 points through seven meets.

At Montevideo, Riley Larson’s 33 earned medalist honors, while Thatcher Sherlin had a 39 to tie for fifth, Zach Gugisberg was 10th with a 41 and Chase Wacker had a 45 to place 21st.

•  A short while later, WCA’s Mitchell and Marshall Dewey shot great rounds of 34 and 38 to earn first and second, while Zach Gugisberg and Riley Larson led the Lakers with 39’s to tie for fourth.

Also golfing were Thatcher Sherlin in seventh with a 40 and Blake Nelson in 10th with a 41.

at Fairmont Invitational

Boys team scoring:  

(1) Minnewaska 314  (2) Luverne 316  (3) Marshall 327  (4) Fairmont 336  (5) St. Peter 339, Blue Earth 339, Worthington 350, Jackson CC 360, Pipestone 363, North Union (IA) 363, New Ulm 368, Redwood Valley 373, Windom Area incomplete

Boys top five:  

(1) Henry Hartquist, Luv 72  (2) Brock Lutterman, Fair 73  (3) tie, Owen Sudenga, Luv; and Zach Gugisberg, Min 74  (5) tie, Riley Larson, Min; and Luke Ehlers, Mar, both 76

Minnewaska results:  Zach Gugisberg 74, Riley Larson 76, Blake Nelson 82, Thatcher Sherlin 82, Chase Wacker 96, Kody Ward 102, Ethan Peterson 126

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WCC meet at Waska

Boys team scoring:  

(1) WCA 170  (2) Minnewaska 171  (3) Morris Area 180  (4) Benson 184  (5) Montevideo 188 (6) Melrose 189  (7) BOLD 198  (8) Sauk Centre 204

Boys top five:  

(1) tie, Riley Larson, Min; Charlie Hanson, Mor both 37  (3) tie, Logan Schad, Mel 39; Mitchell Dewey, WCA, both 39  (5) Thatcher Sherlin, Min 41

Minnewaska results:  (1) Riley Larson 37  (5) Thatcher Sherlin 41  (12) Blake Nelson 46  (16) Zach Gugisberg 47  (25) Garrett Jungclaus 49  (29) Kody Ward 51  (36) Jackson Ziesmer 52

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WCC meet at Benson

Boys team scoring:  

(1) WCA 159  (2) Morris Area 160  (3) Minnewaska 160  (4) Melrose 166  (5) Benson 179  (6) Monte 181  (7) BOLD 184  (8) Sauk Centre 184

Boys top five:  

(1) Charlie Hanson, Mor 31  (2) Logan Schad, Mel 35  (3) Riley Larson, Min 37  (4) Mitchell Dewey, WCA 38  (5) tie, Maverick Kulzer, Mel; Marshall Dewey, WCA, both 39

Minnewaska results:  (3) Riley Larson 37  (7) Zach Gugisberg 40  (8) Blake Nelson 41  (13) Thatcher Sherlin 42  (32) Garrett Jungclaus 48  (38) Kody Ward 50  (38) Chase Wacker 50

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at Kimball Invitational

Boys team scoring:  

(1) Osakis 328  (2) Minnewaska 335  (3) BBE and Paynesville, both 346  (5) Big Lake 356  (6) Zimmerman 357  (7) ACGC 360  (8) Kimball 363  (9) Royalton 397

Boys top five:  

(1) Zach Gugisberg, Min 72  (2) Drew Imdieke, Osakis 74  (3) tie, Luke Ashbrook, Kim; Brady Schwinghammer, BBE, both 77  (5) Tyler Baumgartner, Osakis 79

Minnewaska results:  (1) Zach Gugisberg 72  (9) Riley Larson 82  (17) Blake Nelson 90  (22) Kody Ward 91  (22) Thatcher Sherlin 91

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WCC meet at Montevideo

Boys team scoring:  

(1) Minnewaska 158  (2) WCA 160  (3) Sauk Centre 166  (4) Morris 168  (5) Melrose 173  (6) Benson 176  (7) Montevideo 177  (8) BOLD 184

Boys top five:  

(1) Riley Larson, Min 33  (2) tie, Camden Helgeson, Monte; Sam Hanson, WCA, both 37  (4) Charlie Hanson, Mor 38  (5) tie, Thatcher Sherlin, Min; Mason Erickson, Mor; Marshall Dewey, WCA, all 39

Minnewaska results:  (1) Riley Larson 33  (5) Thatcher Sherlin 39  (10) Zach Gugisberg 41  (21) Chase Wacker 45

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WCC meet at BOLD

Boys team scoring:  

(1) WCA 155  (2) Minnewaska 159  (3) Benson 169  (4) Morris Area 172  (5) Montevideo 177  (6) Sauk Centre 178  (7) BOLD 185  (8) Melrose 188

Boys top five:  

(1) Mitchell Dewey, WCA 34  (2) tie, Charlie Hanson, Mor; Marshall Dewey, WCA, both 38  (4) tie, Zach Gugisberg, Min; Riley Larson, Min; Ryan Tolifson, Benson, all 39

Minnewaska results:  (4) Zach Gugisberg 39  (4) Riley Larson 39  (7) Thatcher Sherlin 40  (10) Blake Nelson 41

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