Sports

Golf teams eye state

By Tyler Ohmann

04/03/2012

Today marks the beginning of the Class B golf season, and the Bottineau boy’s team starts in Rugby for their first tournament.

Bottineau took sixth place in state last season as four seniors led the squad to a region title.

The two remaining individuals from the state quad are juniors Taylor Parisien and Zack Monson.

“It’s going to be a challenge for us. We have only two returning varsity golfers from last year,” Parisien said. “It’s not going to be easy, but we have some young golfers that have the ability to step up help us out this year. I think if we play hard, we could have another chance at state, as a team.”

Parisien shot two of his best rounds of the season at state when he shot a 99 and a 92 as the Braves’ sixth golfer. The rounds he said really helped his game.

“State helped me personally. It was a great experience,” Parisien said. “I feel more confident when I golf now.”

Monson also shot well at state as he finished in with a pair of 85's to tie for 39th place and was the third best finisher for Bottineau.

Potential fill-in’s for the remaining four spots for the Bottineau boy’s include: Luke Amsbaugh, Brock Hiltner, Justin McCloud, Philip Neubauer and Jesse Klebe among others.

Amsbaugh, Hiltner and McCloud plan to play both baseball and golf.

More than 25 boys are out for golf this year in grades 7-12.

Parisien is optimistic after seeing some of the golfers in practice thus far.

“So far in practice this year, we have had some good days,” Parisien said. “If we can keep up this kind of play, I think we can have a successful year.”

Girls aim for state

The Bottineau girl’s golf team also has hopes of making it to state, but it would be the first time in a long time.

“We haven’t been to state for quite awhile, so it would boost our confidence,” said Bottineau’s lone senior golfer Morgan Klebe. “It would be nice to get there for once.”

Bottineau was chosen by the coaches in the region to top the region as a team, as they return nearly all of their team that finished fifth in the region last season, including state-qualifier Ashley Blue.

“I know our biggest competition was Dunseith, and they lost a lot of their good players,” Klebe said. “And we have a couple good girls coming up in the next couple years, but we’re poised for a good season.”

Bottineau’s girls have been out practicing during the first week of eligible practice time, which began last Monday, March 26.

It was a change from last year, when they barely had any practice before their first meet, which was delayed a week.

“It feels really good, and it’s crazy that we are out this early,” Klebe said. “It’s good to get a little head start. Last year we had about two practices before our first meet, so it’s nice to be out here.”

Also returning for Bottineau are starters Bailey Neubauer, Jacie Ceglowski and Madison Klebe from last season.

Newcomers include seventh graders Abby Bristol and Alicia Monson.

The Bottineau girls first meet is in Rugby on April 12.