•  Sherlin and Gugisberg earn honor for boys’ team

The Minnewaska Area boys golf team, coached by Dion Harste and Nick Gugisberg, qualified two golfers to the All-Conference team for 2024.  Eighth-grader Thatcher Sherlin placed third overall among the league golfers, while junior Zach Gugisberg earned fifth overall.

The top 13 golfers from the WCC earned All-Conference.  This year’s team included four WCA golfers, two from Morris Area-CA, Benson and Minnewaska Area, and one each from BOLD, Sauk Centre and Melrose Area.

WCA won this year’s league title with 59 points followed by Morris Area with 52, the Lakers with 50, Melrose with 42, Benson with 26 points, Sauk Centre with 24, BOLD 22 and Montevideo 12.

Morris Area’s Charlie Hanson, who placed seventh at the state meet, earned the WCC individual title again this year with a 35 average per nine holes during league competition this spring.  He had a 34.83 average the previous spring.

Mitchell Dewey, of WCA, was next with a 37.33 average, while Sherlin averaged 38.33 to tie for third and Gugisberg averaged 39.33 to earn fifth.  It was the second-straight All-WCC honor for Sherlin and the fourth-straight All-Conference award for Gugisberg.

Just missing out on All-Conference this spring was senior Blake Nelson, who had a 42.2 average to place 14th overall, one spot away from All-Conference.

In addition, Tyler Moscho was 27th overall (44.83 average), Kash Christman was 32nd (46.5), Chase Wacker was 34th (46.83) and Kody Ward was 42nd (48.67 average).

•  The boys golf team also announced its season-ending awards, June 5 during an awards ceremony at Captains’.  Earning the team’s “Eye’s Up” Award for representing the spirit of the game and sportsmanship and created by coach Trevor Solem went to senior Blake Nelson.   “Nelson had a solid year posting a qualifying score in every regular season event he participated in,” coach Dion Harste said. 

Winning the Most Improved Award was Kash Christman.  “Although most of the team showed improvement throughout the season, Kash started the season on the junior high team, but his ability to put the ball in play promoted him to varsity and allowed him to post a qualifying score for the team the last six rounds.”

 Earning the award for “Golfer of the Year” was Thatcher Sherlin.   “Sherlin led the team in scoring average, was second in a ninety player field in the NLS/Willmar tournament and capped it off with a state qualifying Section score,” coach Harste said.  “Sherlin is known for his course management and the ability to get the ball up and down when not on the green in regulation. The future is bright for the Lakers’ program and they would like to thank the Minnewaska Golf Community for its support.” 

•  Highlighting this year’s season was Sherlin earning a state berth and competing at the State Boys Tourney where he placed 63rd overall with a 27-hole total of 125 (87 the first day and 38 the second).

Sherlin earned his state berth by placing fifth at the Section 3AA Boys Golf Tournament where he shot a 76 and 73 for a 149 total. 

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