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Boys golf: NLS Wildcats back at state with younger, more relaxed lineup

michael lyne, west central tribune, willmar, minn.
·4 min read

Jun. 12—JORDAN — The New London-Spicer boys golf team entered the 2023 season with a handful of big shoes to fill and it is safe to say the Wildcats have filled every bit of them.

After graduating three key seniors in 2022, NLS is heading back to the Class AA state tournament for a third consecutive season. It will be the program's sixth appearance as it searches for its first state team title.

"They had a goal to win the (Wright County West), which I never dreamed they would after the team graduated (Peyton Coahran, Noah Dietz and Jake Rooney)," NLS head coach Jeff Boonstra said. "I wasn't sure they would go undefeated in the conference, but they did. The second goal was to play well in sections and have a shot at state."

The Wildcats have earned a shot at a state title after winning Section 3AA on May 31. NLS competes at the two-day Class AA state tournament at noon Tuesday and Wednesday at the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan.

In 2022, the Wildcats were ranked No. 2 in Class AA on the iWanamaker app and finished sixth at state. This time around NLS ranks No. 10, which is the fifth-best rank of the eight teams competing.

Of NLS' six-man lineup, senior Nixon Harrier, sophomore Blake Kath and freshman Gabe Truscinski are back from last year's state meet. Then there are juniors Everett Halvorson and Sam Hanson and freshman Palmer Dalton.

"There was a lot of pressure on (the 2022 team)," Boonstra said. "(The 2023 team) has worked really hard and there's not as much pressure on this group. But they really want to do well."

Mark Haugejorde took the NLS boys out to dinner Saturday evening at Jordan Supper Club & Tap Room, telling them stories and giving them advice.

Haugejorde is the only New London-Spicer boys golfer to ever win a state title, which came in 1973. He was a co-champion with Northfield's Brad Cook and Albert Lea's Mark Knutson.

"He told us stories about when he was playing at the University of Houston with Jim Nantz and Fred Couples," Boonstra said. "He said, 'Find your target spots.' We do that (as coaches) quite often, but it was nice hearing it from a person like (Mark)."

The other seven teams competing at the Class AA state tournament are Totino-Grace, Holy Family, Roseau, Cloquet, Albany, Blake and Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa.

Totino-Grace, Holy Family, Roseau and Cloquet are the top four ranked teams in the state on iWanamaker. Blake is No. 16 and Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa is No. 19.

"We (the coaching staff) just keep on pressing, just relax and play your game (to the boys)," Boonstra said. "When you look at all the averages, we're right there with everybody else. You just hope that someone gets hot."

Roseau's Max Wilson ranks No. 1 among golfers in Class AA by iWanamaker.

There are two area golfers, who are ranked in the top 25, that compete at state. Minnewaska's Riley Larson is in a tie for No. 21 with Cloquet's Karson Young. Harrier is No. 23.

Also competing in the Class AA state tournament on the girls side are Minnewaska's Arivia DeBoer and Ava Kollman and Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City's Brooke Brekke.

The Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa boys and Lac qui Parle Valley girls compete in the Class A state tournament.

The two-day Class A boys tournament takes place at noon Tuesday and Wednesday at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker. The girls competition takes place at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday also at Pebble Creek.

The No. 15 BBE boys search for their first state title. The No. 2 ranked LQPV girls are in the state tournament for a fifth consecutive season and aim for the third state title in program history.

BBE's lineup includes: Eli Gregory, Jamison Reed, Brady Schwinghammer, Matthew Walz and Walker Winter. LQPV's lineup includes: Molly Halvorson, Isabella Jacobs, Kaitlyn Kittelson, Peyton Sachs, Kate Ulstad and Grace Vacek.

Other area athletes competing at the Class A state tournament:

* Boys: BOLD's Grant Pfarr, Community Christian School's Will Chapin, Dawson-Boyd's Carson Stratmoen, LQPV's Carson Besonen and Renville County West's Ryan Schrupp.

* Girls: BOLD's Kenna Henriksen and Tori Osterfeld, CCS' Katrina Velyan and D-B's Alyssa Swedzinski and Lindsey Lund.