Northwest settles for seventh place

Grand Island Northwest's bid for a top-five finish in the Class B girls state tournament got washed away with the rain Tuesday at Riverside Golf Club.

The Vikings, who were fifth after shooting 387 in Monday's opening round, faded to shoot 415 in a second round that was played predominantly in a steady downpour. Northwest's 36-hole total of 802 left it seventh in the team race.

"I thought our girls competed well and didn't lose too much ground," Northwest coach Dick Colvin said. "Coming into the tournament, we were shooting for an 800 team score and finished with an 802, so I can't feel too bad about that.

"I thought the girls competed well, but there were some amazingly good scores today for playing in this weather."

Amy Knapp was the top finisher for the Vikings,  just missing a state medal with a 16th-place finish. The Northwest junior shot a second-round 94 to wind up at 187 -- two strokes behind 15th-place finisher Erin Schoenbeck of Norris.

No. 4 golfer Jenna Nelson (118 to a 115) and No. 5 player Sarah Phinney (103 to a 99) were the only Northwest players to improve their scores in round two. Senior Alyssa Raile shot a 107 and sophomore Megan Jennemann finished with a 115.

Despite the second-round slide, Colvin said the experience the Vikings gained at the state tournament bodes well for next season. Four of Northwest's five state qualifiers are expected to return.

"There are a lot of good young players on this team, so we think we're really sitting well for the future," Colvin said. "I think making it to state really has made them think about what they can do if they improve over the summer, and I think they will do that because they're all really good kids.

"I really expect for them to come back strong again next year. We're looking forward to it."

Adams Central produced the top finish among area teams, rallying with a 387 in the second round to place fourth at 789. The Patriots had two medalists in senior Lindsey Colburn (10th at 176) and freshman Mattie Yurk (13th at 181).

In the team race, Scottsbluff claimed its third state title in the past six seasons in dominant fashion. Entering the final round with a 20-stroke lead, the Bearcats shot 350 in the second round to finish the 36-hole tournament at 696 -- good for a 33-stroke victory over runner-up Beatrice.

Scottsbluff shot just four strokes higher in round two, despite the difficult conditions.

"The scores were a little worse than yesterday, but the conditions were way worse," Scottsbluff coach Mike Klein said. "We were ready for it, but it's just no fun to play in the rain.

"You've got to go out there and grind, you've got to try to keep dry and you've got to try to keep warm, but these girls seem to pretty much adapt to anything, so that's good for them."

Kaylee Koeppen led Scottsbluff, shooting a second-round 80 to earn a fourth-place medal with a 165 total. Teammates Alexandria Schluter (fifth with a 169) and Emilee Pilkington (eighth with a 174) also earned individual medals.

In Klein's six years as coach, Scottsbluff has won state titles in half of them. The Bearcats also won in 2003 and 2006 under Klein's direction.

"I'm pleased with that, but I've had some really good girls along the way that were willing to work hard in the summer," Klein said. "This group has worked hard in the summer and that's when we win these things is in the summer.

"With girls golf, you go from the summer right into the fall, so there's no excuse if you're not playing well by then or haven't played. The credit really goes to the girls."

First-round individual leader Elizabeth Havekost of Beatrice followed her first-round 79 with an 80 to win by three strokes with a 159 total. Sidney's McKenzie O'Connell (162) was second and Gretna's Kristen Goldenstein (164) finished third.

For the second day in a row, Havekost finished her round with a chip-in on the par-5 18th hole. On Monday, she holed out from 40 yards for birdie and on Tuesday, she chipped in from 15 feet off the fringe for par.

"I couldn't believe it when it went in again," Havekost said. "I hit it really hard, so if it hadn't gone in, it would've been way past the hole. I was very fortunate that it went in."

The chip-in capped a mostly steady round for Havekost. The Lady Orange senior had no birdies, but just one double bogey, that coming on the par-4 17th hole.

Havekost said she was pleased to finally reverse her track record of not playing well in the state tournament.

"In the past two years, I had played well for most of the season and then shot about my worst scores at state," Havekost said. "So it was kind of a surprise to play well at state -- a nice surprise. I think experience was definitely a factor."



Class B

At Grand Island Riverside Golf Club

Team Standings

Scottsbluff 696, Beatrice 729, Gretna 753, Adams Central 789, Gering 790, Sidney 795, Grand Island Northwest 802, Omaha Skutt Catholic 803, Omaha Duchesne Academy 838, Norris 843, O'Neill 873, Ashland-Greenwood/Elmwood-Murdock 992.

Individual Results

Elizabeth Havekost, Beatrice    79-80--159

McKenzie O'Connell, Sidney    80-82--162

Kristen Goldenstein, Gretna    84-80--164

Kaylee Koeppen, Scottsbluff    85-80--165

Alexandria Schluter, Scottsbluff    80-89--169

Sydney Moran, Beatrice    88-85--173

Sabrina King, Gering    89-84--173

Cari Hawk, Gretna    86-88--174

Emilee Pilkington, Scottsbluff    89-85--174

Lindsey Colburn, Adams Central    87-89--176

Addy Anderson, Blair    97-81--178

Jessica Jensen, Platteview    90-89--179

Mattie Yurk, Adams Central    89-92--181

Alexis Kaiser, Omaha Skutt    100-84--184

Erin Schoenbeck, Norris    93-92--185

Amy Knapp, Grand Island NW    93-94--187

Drew Isham, Scottsbluff    92-96--188

Kirsten McMullen, Omaha Duchesne    95-94--189

Abby Schweitzer, Omaha Skutt    98-91--189

Kelsey Ondrak, Lexington    91-99--190

Ashley Reiter, Beatrice    97-96--193

Parisianne Miller, Gering    96-99--195

Taylor Thompson, Hastings    93-103--196

Emily Cox, Holdrege    102-94--196

Jayme Harmelink, Plattsmouth    97-100--197

Shelby Allen, McCook    103-94--197

Kaitlyn Sapone, Omaha Duchesne    99-101--200

Sarah Phinney, Grand Island NW    103-99--202

Shala Sinner, Scottsbluff    103-99--202

Alyssa Raile, Grand Island NW    96-107--203

Natalia Kraviec, Beatrice    102-102--204

Allison Depko, O'Neill    105-99--204

Mackenzie Dornbier, Sidney    100-106--206

Abigail Allgood, Gretna    106-100--206

Lacie Ferguson, Adams Central    104-104--208

Mariah Busch, Gering    105-103--208

Megan Jenneman, Grand Island NW    95-115--210

Mariah Ostermann, Beatrice    107-103--210

Courtney Fletcher, Sidney    101-110--211

Ashley Vlasin, Crete    106-105--211

Katherine Samson, Omaha Skutt    111-104--215

Kelly Leininger, Sidney    103-113--216

Miranda Miles, Gering    106-110--216

Anne-Flore Mulliez, Ashland-Greenwood/E-M    113-103--216

Riley Schafer, Gretna    100-117--217

Brittney Blum, Norris    107-110--217

Amy Fosler, Norris    111-106--217

Brittany Richtig, Crete    106-113--219

Erin Klein, York    112-107--219

Brigid Richter, Omaha Skutt    107-113--220

Taylor Lind, O'Neill    112-108--220

Kiley Eccker, Omaha Skutt    113-108--221

Brooke Devall, O'Neill    114-107--221

Shauna Hill, Omaha Duchesne    110-113--223

Tiffany Strilka, Gretna    114-109--223

Kendall Thompson, Gering    115-108--223

Shelby Hoins, Adams Central    122-102--224

Catherine Foley, Omaha Duchesne    106-121--227

Lindsey Egger, Norris    116-111--227

Laura Gratopp, Norris    113-115--228

Kristin Gotschall, O'Neill    114-114--228

Jenna Nelson, Grand Island NW    118-115--233

Emily Booher, Ashland-Greenwood/E-M    119-120--239

Alisha Miller, Sidney    118-126--244

Maggie O'Connor, Omaha Duchesne    127-120--247

Kelli Shuck, Adams Central    133-116--249

Amy Poole, Ashland-Greenwood/E-M    131-119--250

Erin Gotschall, O'Neill    120-133--253

Hayley Rudder, Ashland-Greenwood/E-M    149-140--289

Ashli Brown, Ashland-Greenwood/E-M    147-150--297