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BEA boys golfers tied at 7th after Day 1 at state

JORDAN — The Blake School Bears made a strong case for defending their Class AA state boys golf championship after finishing in first place after Day 1 of the tournament on Tuesday at The Ridges @ Sand Creek in Jordan.

The Bears recorded three scores in the lower 70s for a team score of 292, followed by Detroit Lakes (294) and Holy Family Catholic (295). Hermantown compiled a team score of 305 for fourth, while St. Cloud Cathedral (310) and Lake City (313) were fifth and sixth, respectively.

In their first state appearance since 2005, the Blue Earth Area Bucs shot a 327, tying for seventh place with New Ulm.

“They did OK on the back nine, but I think the weather started getting to them,” Bucs head coach Travis Armstrong said in reference to the high humidity and warm temperatures.

Gaven Bruellman led the way for the Bucs, shooting an opening-round 36-37–73 to tie for 14th place. Braden Gudahl followed with a 44-40–84, while both Hunter Spencer (45-40) and Manning Lane (43-42) marked 85s for Blue Earth Area.

Nathan Murphy and Tate Thielfoldt shot a 56-58–114 and a 59-64–123, respectively, for the Bucs during the first day of the tournament.

Lincoln Cizek of Holy Family Catholic and Red Wing’s Cecil Belisle tied for first place individually with rounds of 68.

After starting at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the Bucs’ team members will tee off almost an hour later today for the second and final round.

Thielfoldt takes off in the first group at 8:15 a.m., starting on No. 10 and Murphy tees off at 8:24 a.m. Lane is in the third group with a tee time of 8:33 a.m., while Spencer and Gudahl go back-to-back at 8:42 a.m. and 8:51 a.m., respectively.

Bruellman and the final group of team golfers start at 9 a.m. today in Jordan.

On the girls’ side of the Class AA state golf tournament, Fairmont’s Bergen Senf completed her state debut with a round of 45-42–87 for 24th place.

“Bergen executed her game plan well today,” Cardinals head coach Brad Haugen said. “She recovered from a bad hole and … finished with a solid 87.”

Blue Earth Area golfer Mateja Lane shot a 49-51–100 in her first state tournament and returns to action at 12:09 p.m. today for Day 2. Senf has a tee time of 12:36 p.m., and both girls start on No. 10.

Ashtyn Guggisberg led all golfers with a round of 73 to help Minnewaska to a Day 1 fourth-place score of 347. Lake City is disrupting Detroit Lakes’ attempt at a second consecutive state championship with a first-place total of 332. Detroit Lakes, who has captured the Class AA team title in four of the last five seasons, is only five strokes behind with a 337.

Breck garnered the fifth spot with a 351, while International Falls (355), Jordan (372) and Osakis (414) round out the final spots in the girls team competition.

In the Class A state tournament at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker, Truman/Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Martin Luther’s Parker Stevens tied for 16th place after the first day.

Stevens (42-39) and Braham’s Alex Kruvers (41-40) each penciled in 81s on the day.

Tommy Braaten of Blooming Prairie shot a 68 for first place among individuals, while Mahnomen/Waubun tops the Class A boys team competition with a 316.

Sleepy Eye United has a runner-up score of 330, Mounds Park Academy is third with a 331 and Lac Qui Parle Valley shot a 334 for fourth.

Mesabi East finished Day 1 with a fifth-best team tally of 339. Blooming Prairie (347) took a stroke over Ottertail Central (348) for sixth place, while Westbrook-Walnut Grove finished eighth with a 358.

Stevens heads back out to the White Course at 7:57 a.m. today for the final round of the Class A state golf tournament.

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