Grand Island Northwest's boys golf team defeated Aurora in a playoff last year to clinch a berth into the Class B state tournament.
The Huskies made sure no playoff was necessary this time around.
Aurora shot 335 to win the Class B, District 2 title Monday at Southern Hills Country Club near Hastings. Northwest finished second at 340 and Adams Central third at 341.
The top three teams and top 10 individuals including ties advance to the Class B state meet May 20-21 at Pioneers Golf Course in Lincoln.
Aurora's Eric Ratzlaff shot 81 to finish second behind medalist Kramer Lyons with a 78. The Huskies also placed Ryan Grosnicklaus fifth at 81 and Campbell Moyer sixth at 82.
"It's really kind of nice for these kids because last year we got beat by Northwest in sudden death for third," Aurora coach Dick Binfield said. "They deserve it. They're a great bunch of kids. We've had the same five all year which is kind of neat too. That hasn't happened for a long time.
"We just kind of hung in there. I told them at the turn to just keep grinding."
Northwest coach Dave Marron said there were no real surprises in the team race.
"That's about how close I figured it would be," Marron said. "Every year in this district, there is anywhere from four to six teams that are pretty good. It's just whoever shoots the best on the day of the district who are the ones that go.
"There are usually two or three quality teams that don't make it."
Nate Cox, who finished fifth at last year's state meet, led the Vikings with an 81 for third. Max Luber was 10th with an 85 while teammate Mike Winder also shot 85 to finish 11th.
Marron said gusty winds made things tough for the golfers.
"It was a tough day with the wind," Marron said. "Not only with their shots, but I think it affected their putting as well. Some of it is just the mental toughness you have to have to do this and they did a good job.
"It was a tough day, but you have to give the kids a lot of credit. They hung in there and played well enough to qualify. That's a credit to them."
Of course everyone had to deal with the same wind. Marron said the players who can make the adjustments are the ones who do the best in those conditions.
"We've talked about it all year that it's the same for everybody," Marron said. "But it's the people who can figure out what you can do with the conditions you have to shoot well. That's what the players did."
Lyons, a junior who won a district title two years ago as a freshman, said the wind definitely hurt his putting.
"I played pretty well," Lyons said. "I hit the ball well. Putting was probably the hardest part of it. I missed a lot of short putts that I normally make, but I held it together.
"You have to stay mentally strong. You're going to make some bogeys that you normally wouldn't make, but today you kind of have to hang in there and try to make pars. Pars are good scores."
The Patriots edged Hastings by one stroke for the third and final team spot. The Tigers qualified Bradley Novich (eighth with an 83) and Roger Flohrs (12th with an 85) for the state meet.
Connor Lyons shot 84 for the Patriots to finish ninth.
Kramer Lyons said it will be great to have all his teammates with him at the state meet.
"That's big," he said. "I was kind of worried. I knew I made it, but I was hoping the team would get to join me down there."
Binfield is certainly glad to be taking all the Huskies to the state meet as well.
"It was really a good day considering the fact conditions were kind of tough," Binfield said. "We had two kids who shot 81. Our No. 3 man (Campbell) shoots 82 and that helped us a lot.
"And our fifth man (Connor Jensen) shot a 91. That was a good score too. That really helped us."
Class B, District 2
At Southern Hills Country Club
Team Standings
(Top three advance)
Aurora 335, Grand Island NW 340, Adams Central 341, Hastings 342, York 351, Minden 366, Seward 369, Milford 379, Central City 384, Holdrege 388, Fairbury 406, Crete 409.
Individuals Qualifiers
(Top 10 plus ties advance)
1, Kramer Lyons, Adams Central, 78; 2, Eric Ratzlaff, Aurora, 81; 3, Nate Cox, Grand Island NW, 81; 4, Preston Burk, York, 81; 5, Ryan Grossnicklaus, Aurora, 81; 6, Campbell Moyer, Aurora, 82; 7, Titus Tvrdy, Seward, 82; 8, Bradley Novich, Hastings, 83; 9, Connor Lyons, Adams Central, 84; 10, Max Luber, Grand Island NW, 85; 11, Mike Winder, Grand Island NW, 85; 12, Roger Flohrs, Hastings, 85.
GINW (340)
Nate Cox 81, Mike Winder 85, Max Luber 85, Kurt Bills 89, Jake McMahon 95.
