•  Waska girls win title by 88 strokes

The Minnewaska Area girls golf team won the Section 3AA team title to earn a trip to state.  The Lakers had a 59-stroke lead after the Prelims, May 22 at the Oakdale Golf Club in Buffalo Lake before shooting a 341 total during the Finals last Wednesday to win the section title by 88 strokes.

NLS overtook Redwood Valley for second place, while Marshall was fourth and Fairmont fifth.

Individually, Ava Kollman, Arivia DeBoer and Annika DeBoer placed third, fourth and fifth, respectively, as the Lakers dominated the sectional competition.

Last year, Arivia DeBoer and Ava Kollman earned state berths.  During the state tourney, DeBoer had a total of 167 over 36 holes (rounds of 84 and 83) to place 25th overall out of 88 golfers, while Kollman had a 187 total (98 and 89) to place 57th.

The State Girls Golf Tourney is set for June 11-12.  The Lakers, coached by Tony Janu and Jenna Janu, also won the WCC title this year, winning all eight conference meets.

Section 3AA Finals

Minnewaska followed up its 333 total from the Prelims with a 341 score during the Section 3AA Finals last Wednesday to win the section team title by 88 strokes.

Last year, Redwood Valley won the section team title by 30 strokes with a 679 total while the Lakers were second with a 709 score.

Redwood did have the meet medalist as Mila Jenniges had a 157 total on rounds of 78 and 79 to win by five strokes over Avery Naus of Kimball (78-84–162).

Ava Kollman paced the Lakers with a 163 total (79-84) to place third, while Arivia DeBoer was fourth with a 164 total on rounds of 82 and 82 and Annika DeBoer earned fifth with a 166 score on rounds of 84 and 82.

Also golfing and joining the Lakers at the state meet were Kyra Nelson in eighth (88-93–181), Anna Kollman in 21st (96-98–194) and Lillie Ogdahl in 35th (106-110–216).

Section 3AA Finals

Girls team scoring:  

(1) Minnewaska 333-341–674   (2) NLS 396-366–762  (3) Redwood Valley 392-379–771  (4) Marshall 407-384–791  (5) Fairmont 404-394–798  . . . Other teams-(6) Kimball and Litchfield, both 413  (8) Luverne 420  (9) MN Valley Luth 428  (10) Paynesville 431  (11) Morris Area-CA 441  (12) New Ulm 442  (13) Montevideo 490  (14) Pipestone, Windom, Jackson County Central, all incomplete

Girls top five:  

(1) tie, Mila Jenniges, RV 78-79–157  (2) Avery Naus, Kimball 78-84–162  (3) Ava Kollman, Min 79-84–163  (4) Arivia DeBoer, Min 82-82–164  (5) Annika DeBoer, Min 84-82–166 . . . also going to state — (6) Dayton Webskowski, Marshall 171  (7) Riley Harrier, NLS 178  (9) Grace Rokeh, Marshall 185

Minnewaska results:  (3) Ava Kollman 79-84–163  (4) Arivia DeBoer 82-82-164  (5) Annika DeBoer 84-82–166  (8) Kyra Nelson 88-93–181  (21) Anna Kollman 96-98–194  (35) Lillie Ogdahl 106-110–216

•  Sherlin places fifth overall for boys

The Minnewaska boys golf team finished fourth at the Section 3AA Golf Finals last Wednesday at the Oakdale Golf Course in Buffalo Lake.

The Lakers were in third after the Prelims the previous week, but slipped to fourth during the Finals.

Marshall won the overall Section 3AA team title with a 600 total on 18-hole rounds of 296-304, while NLS was second and Luverne third.

Leading the way for the Lakers was Thatcher Sherlin, who followed up a 76 the first day to shoot a 73 during the Finals for a 36-hole total of 149 to tie for fifth overall and earn a state berth.

Morris Area’s Charlie Hanson claimed medalist honors with a 142 total on scores of 67 and 75, while Gabe Truscinski of NLS was second (73-73–146).

Just missing out on a trip to state was Minnewaska’s Zach Gugisberg, ho had a 156 total (75-81) to finish five strokes back of a state berth.

Minnewaska Area, coached by Dion Harste and Nick Gugisberg, placed third during the WCC schedule behind league champion West Central Area and runner-up Morris Area-CA.

Sherlin, who missed out on a state berth by seven strokes last year, is set to golf at the state tourney, June 11-12 at Ridges on Sand Creek in Jordan.

Section 3AA Finals

Thatcher Sherlin shot a second-day total of 73 to not only tie for medalist honors during the Finals but also earn the Minnewaska Area eighth-grader a trip to the state meet.

Sherlin had a 76 the first day for a 149 total which tied for fifth place overall.  This will be the first trip to state for the young Laker golfer.

Sherlin has season lows of 36 for nine holes and 73 for 18 holes this season.

Morris Area’s Charlie Hanson earned medalist honors with a 142 total on rounds of 67 and 75, while Gabe Truscinski of NLS was second (73-73–146) and Marshall’s Luke Ehlers earned third (75-73–148).

Marshall had three of the top seven scores to win by 24 strokes over runner-up NLS.  Marshall had a first-day total of 296 and a second day 304 for a 600 score.

Minnewaska Area had 318s both days for a 636 total to finish five strokes back of Luverne for third place.

Zach Gugisberg was next for the Lakers in 11th place with a 156 total on rounds of 75 and 81.  He missed out on a state berth by five strokes after missing out last year by 13 shots.

Tyler Moscho finished 20th for the Lakers (82-81–163), while Kash Christman was 27th (85-83–168), Blake Nelson earned 42nd (91-89–180) and Chase Wacker came home in 43rd (97-84–181) after improving his score by 13 strokes the second day.

Section 3AA Finals

Boys team scoring:  

(1) Marshall 296-304–600  (2) NLS 311-313–624  (3) Luverne 319-312–631  (4) Minnewaska 318-318–636  (5) Morris Area 319-331–650 . . . Other teams-(6) Kimball and Litchfield, both 413  (8) Luverne 420  (9) MN Valley Luth 428  (10) Paynesville 431  (11) Morris Area-CA 441  (12) New Ulm 442  (13) Montevideo 490  (14) Pipestone, Windom, Jackson County Central, all incomplete

Boys top five:  

(1) Charlie Hanson, Morris 67-75–142  (2) Gabe Truscinski, NLS 73-73–146  (3)  Jayden Manthei, Marshall 71-76–147  (4) Luke Ehlers, Marshall 75-73–148  (5) tie, Thatcher Sherlin, Minnewaska 76-73–149; Nate Panka, Marshall 73-76–149; Winston Carlson, Paynes 75-74—149. . . also going to state — (8) Owen Sudenga, Luverne 151

Minnewaska results:  (5) Thatcher Sherlin 76-73–149  (11) Zach Gugisberg 75-81–156  (20) Tyler Moscho 82-81–163  (27) Kash Christman 85-83–168  (42) Blake Nelson 91-89–180  (43) Chase Wacker 97-84–181

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