Sports

Region 4's finest duke it out in Rugby

By Tyler Ohmann

05/15/2012

Bottineau, Westhope-Newburg and the rest of the field in Region 4 boy’s golf were afforded a second chance at qualifying for state as well as a preview of the course for Thursday’s upcoming region team qualifier last Thursday at Rugby Country Club.

While there were no new qualifiers from the Braves or the Sioux, the teams hope to have benefited by seeing how the course played.

“It was a great day for golfing, but I did not do very well,” said Jesse Klebe, a junior from Bottineau. “Zack Monson did very well, Phillip (Neubauer) really stepped up, Taylor Parisien had an off day, but all around we got to see where we need to do a little tweaking and improvements.”

In total the Braves shot a team score of 410, 57 strokes behind first place Velva, who won a three-way tiebreaker thanks to their fifth golfer’s score.

Tying for that lead and finishing in second place was Westhope-Newburg. The Sioux, who finished first at last week’s qualifier, and had two of their golfer’s qualify for state, tied with the Aggies and third place Rugby.

Sioux scores were carded by senior Trevor Hulse (82), Hunter Braaten (85), Lance Berenston (91), eighth-grader Chase Conway (95) to make their team total of 353. Their tiebreaker score was a 99 scored by Dylan Stratton. Ben Sharkey rounded out the scores for the Sioux with a 107.

Bottineau’s total of 410 came from the scores of Monson (87), Neubauer (100), Parisien (109) and Klebe (114). Also golfing for the Braves were Kameron Mooney (130), and Alex Bristol (142).

Klebe said his score of 114 was not his best work, especially on the green.

“My chipping and iron shots are always consistent, but the greens were fast, and I would miss par putts and that adds up after awhile,” Klebe said. “Driving, I’ve been working with Coach Bender on, because it needs some work.”

Darren Young of Benson County, Nick Myhre of Northern Lights, Taylor Lakoduk of Velva and Dalton Poitra of Dunseith all qualified for state by shooting 79 or better on the day. Young’s 74 garnered him medalist honors.
Myhre and Young both had previously qualified for state at last week’s qualifier in Velva.

The teams of the region reconvene at Rugby on Thursday for a 9:30 a.m. start for the team region qualifier. The top three teams that finish in that meet, as well as any team who shoots 32 over par or better advances to the state meet held on May 29-30 at Oxbow. Also advancing to the state meet from the region meet are the top 10 individuals and ties or anyone who shoots a seven over par or better.