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B.E. Area golfers pocket Class AA state bid

NEW PRAGUE — Section 2AA boys golf champions for a second consecutive year and counting.

Manning Lane captured the sectional individual crown and teammate Hunter Spencer fired the fifth-best overall two-day total to engineer the Blue Earth Area Bucs’ successful defense of their Section 2 title on Monday at New Prague Golf Course.

Lane followed a Day 1 total of 73 with a second-round 38-37-75 on Monday for a meet-low 148 to strike gold, while Spencer delivered a 41-37-78 Day 2 total after carding an 80 last week for a 158 to pace the Bucs’ eight-stroke margin of victory — 643-651 — over Big South Conference rival St. Peter.

Blue Earth Area tees off the Class AA state meet June 12-13 at Ridges @ Sand Creek in Jordan. Tee times are yet to be determined.

“We were six shots ahead of them (the Saints) after Day 1, up by 12 at the turn today and then finished strong enough during the final nine (holes) to win by eight,” said Blue Earth Area head coach Travis ‘Doc’ Armstrong. “You’re always a little nervous in big meets, but when Braden (Gudahl) and Manning — our two freshmen — turned in 38s during their first nine holes, I felt much better about our chances.”

Lane penciled in a co-team-best three birdies — Nos. 4, 6 and 17 — to complement eight pars, Spencer sank a birdie putt on No. 4 and made a team-leading 10 pars, while Gudahl birdied No. 12 to add strength to nine pars in pacing a 38-44-82 on Monday en route to a two-day total of 166 for 11th overall.

“We don’t have official captains on this team, but Hunter proved our de facto leader today by the way he generated all of those pars during his round,” Armstrong said in reference to his junior standout. “He really put our team on his back coming down the stretch today.

“Meanwhile, Manning was super consistent today. He’s played his best golf during the last three meets. It’s always better to peak in June and not April.”

Sophomore Gaven Bruellman, seventh-grader Ashton Lloyd and sophomore Caleb Beeler completed the Bucs’ winning ways at the sectional competition.

Bruellman placed 21st overall by firing a two-day total of 84-91-175, Lloyd delivered a 93-87-180 to net 28th place, while Beeler tallied a 100-94-194 to garner 34th overall for Blue Earth Area.

Bruellman birdied the 15th hole and generated five pars during Monday’s second round; Lloyd connected for a co-team-best three birdies — Nos. 1, 4 and 18 — to complement three pars; while Beeler carded a rare eagle on No. 10 to go with two pars.

“The scores all reset at state, and there’s no carry-over from the section meet,” Armstrong said with a chuckle. “Our lineup is so balanced that one meet we may count one score, and then the next time, count someone’s else’s. That’s a good dilemma to have.”

In the girls’ portion of the Section 2AA, Blue Earth Area’s junior tandem of Mateja Lane and Claire Jordan did not qualify for the individual state tournament.

Lane followed a Day 1 score of 48-53-101 with a 48-44-92 on Monday to close the sectional competition with a 14th-place mark of 193 — 14 strokes off the fifth and final individual state-qualifying total.

Jordan carded a 50-50-100 during her first round of the sectional last week before closing with a 53-50-103 on Monday to finish with a 203 to garner 22nd place individually.

The Jordan Jaguars fired a two-round total of 700 to win the girls’ sectional crown, while St. Clair/ Mankato Loyola junior Claire Orcutt penciled in back-to-back rounds of 82 en route to a gold-medalist score of 164.

2018 Section 2AA Golf Meet

At New Prague Golf Club

Boys Division

Team Standings (Champion advances to state): 1. Blue Earth Area 321-322–643; 2. St. Peter 327-324–651; 3. Albert Lea 338-343–681; 4. Maple River 338-354–692.

Individual Results (Top 5 & State Qualifiers): 1. Manning Lane (BEA) 73-75–148; 2. Thomas Gutzmer (Jordan) 79-74–153; 3. (tie) Andrew Hoppe (Maple River) 76-81–157 and Cole Haller (Belle Plaine) 77-80–157; 5. Hunter Spencer (BEA) 80-78–158; 6. (tie) Carter Doose (St. Peter) 79-80–159 and Kendall Nicolai (St. Peter) 82-77–159.

Other B.E. Area scores: 11. Braden Gudahl 84-82–166; 21. Gaven Bruellman 84-91–175; 28. Ashton Lloyd 93-87–180; 34. Caleb Beeler 100-94–194.

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