The Minnewaska Area boys golf team competed in four events last week, including two WCC meets last Tuesday at WCA and Morris followed by the combined NLS-Willmar Wild-Card Invitational where eighth-grader Thatcher Sherlin led the Lakers with a runner-up finish at the 16-team event.

“Thatcher finished second in a field of 90 golfers during the two-day tourney filled with a lot of strong teams,” coach Dion Harste said.  “Our team finished seventh of 16 teams and I was proud of the way the team managed the course  and see improvements for the team.”

During the two WCC meets, the Lakers were second at WCA and tied for third at Morris.  The Knights won both meets to take the early lead with 16 points, followed by Morris with 13 and Waska with 12.

This week, the team has not one, but two, WCC doubleheaders scheduled.  The eight conference teams are set to compete at Montevideo and BOLD, Monday, before golfing at Melrose and Sauk Centre, Tuesday (tomorrow).  

Oh yeah, the team is also set to golf at the Fairmont Invitational, Saturday.

First two WCC meets

The Lakers competed at the first two WCC meets last Tuesday at West Central Area and Morris.

Minnewaska, which won the WCC title last year on the final day, tied for third at Morris with a 172 total and also earned second during the nine holes at WCA.

Zach Gugisberg led the Lakers, tying for second at Morris and finishing tied for fourth at WCA.

During the meet at WCA, the host Knights edged the Lakers by one stroke for the team title (157-158), while Morris Area was another two strokes back to earn third.

Morris Area’s Charlie Hanson had a 34 to earn medalist honors by two strokes over two players, including Minnewaska Area’s Thatcher Sherlin, who shot an even-par round of 36.

Gugisberg added a 38 to tie for fourth, while Blake Nelson was seventh with a 41, Tyler Moscho earned 15th (43), Kash Christman was 23rd (45), Chase Wacker was 33rd (47) and Kody Ward placed 39th (48).

•  Zach Gugisberg’s 38 at Morris helped Minnewaska to a 172 total in the second meet of the day, which tied with Sauk Centre for third place.

WCA earned its second title with a 159 total to edge Morris by one stroke on the Tigers’ home course.

For the Lakers, Blake Nelson was 12th with a 43 at Morris, Thatcher Sherlin was 23rd with a 45, Kody Ward was 26th with a 46, Tyler Moscho shot a 50 to earn 37th, Kash Christman was 39th with a 51 and Chase Wacker came home with a 54 to place 42nd.

Morris Area’s Charlie Hanson shot a 37 to win medalist honors by one stroke.

“Tyler Moscho carded an eight-over 43 during his first conference meet and Thatcher Sherlin, Zach Gugisberg and Blake Nelson had nice rounds for us at WCA, while Zach was the only golfer in the top-10 at Morris, where we finished in a tie for third and put a serious kink in the effort to gain our fourth-straight WCC title.”

NLS-Willmar Invite

Thatcher Sherlin led the Lakers at the Wild-Card Invitational, Thursday and Friday at NLS and Willmar.

Thatcher Sherlin had a total of 158 on rounds of 82 and 76 to tie for second place, finishing just one stroke back of medalist Ryan Kennedy, of Brainerd.

“On a very difficult scoring day Thursday, Sherlin slipped with two double bogeys in his last three holes after navigating the strong winds and fast greens at Little Crow Golf Course,” coach Harste said.  “On Friday, as the rain subsided in Willmar, Sherlin stayed steady and finished on the hardest hole on the course, the long par four number 5. 

“His 12-foot birdie putt slipped by the whole, which eventually meant a tie for second place (Sherlin received second in a scorecard playoff).  Overall, he had a great two-day tourney.”

Zach Gugisberg scored a 78 the second day, bettering his first-day performance by 10 strokes, and had a 166 total to place 16th, while Blake Nelson had rounds of 86 and 85 to earn 23rd. 

WCC meet at WCA

Boys team scoring:  

(1) WCA 157  (2) Minnewaska 158  (3) Morris Area 160  (4) Melrose 173  (5) Sauk Centre 175  (6) BOLD 182  (7) Benson 184  (8) Montevideo 185

Top five:  (1) Charlie Hanson, Mor 34  (2) Marshall Dewey, WCA and Thatcher Sherlin, Min, both 36  (4) Mitchell Dewey, Mor; Zach Gugisberg, Min; and Brayden Johnson, SC, all 38

Minnewaska results:  (2) Thatcher Sherlin 36  (4) Zach Gugisberg 38  (7) Blake Nelson 41  (15) Tyler Moscho 43  (23) Kash Christman 45  (33) Chase Wacker 47  (39) Kody Ward 48 

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WCC meet at Morris

Boys team scoring:  

(1) WCA 159  (2) Morris 160  (3) Sauk Centre 172  (4) Minnewaska 172  (5) Melrose 177  (6) Benson 181  (7) BOLD 182  (8) Monte 195

Top five:  (1) Charlie Hanson, Mor 37  (2) Brayden Johnson, SC; Mitchell Dewey, WCA; Marshall Dewey, WCA; and Zach Gugisberg, Min, all 38

Minnewaska results:  (2) Zach Gugisberg 38  (12) Blake Nelson 43  (23) Thatcher Sherlin 45  (26) Kody Ward 46  (37) Tyler Moscho 50  (39) Kash Christman 51  (42) Chase Wacker 54

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at NLS-Willmar Wild-Card Invitational

Boys team scoring:  

(1) Brainerd 643  (2) Moorhead 652  (2) Lakeville South 652  (4) NLS 668  (5) Willmar 674 . . . (7) Minnewaska 697-358-339 . . total of 14 teams

Top five:  (1) Ryan Kennedy, Brainerd 157  (2) Hayden Reierson, Moorhead; and Thatcher Sherlin, Minnewaska, both 158  (4) Marty Timmons, Brainerd 159  (5) Aden Jacobson, Willmar 160

Minnewaska results:  (2) Thatcher Sherlin 82-76–158  (16) Zach Gugisberg 88-78–166  (23) Blake Nelson 86-85–171  (74) Kody Ward 109-100–209  (75) Tyler Moscho 102-110–212  (78) Jackson Ziesmer 224