EYE ON THE BALL — Fairmont golfer Jacob Harris watches his putt roll toward the hole during Big South Conference East Division golf action Monday at Interlaken Golf Course. (Photo by Kyle McAreavy)

FAIRMONT — Blue Earth Area registered the top four golf scores and four of the top five.

The Bucs’ team score of 145 led the Big South Conference East Division boys meet, while the Fairmont Cardinals were second at 164. New Ulm (168) finished third, St. Peter (170) was fourth, Jackson County Central (182) ended fifth and Waseca (187) took sixth.

After starting 2-over through his first four holes, medalist Braden Gudahl birdied the par-5 sixth hole and par-4 ninth hole to get back to even for the Bucs. Gudahl then drove to the fringe on the par-4 first hole and connected from just off the green for an eagle to give him his 2-under nine-hole total of 35.

Ashton Lloyd collected the second overall score of 36 for BEA. Lloyd birdied the ninth, first and second holes to finish his round.

BEA’s Nathan Murphy and Gavin Storbeck each shot a 37 for the final counting Bucs’ scores.

Murphy birdied three holes and was 2-under with two holes to go, while Storbeck birdied the par-4 fourth and eighth holes to card his nine-hole par.

Manning Lane collected the fifth Bucs’ score and sixth overall with a 40 after making birdie at the par-5 seventh hole.

“Today was really good,” BEA head coach Travis Armstrong said. “We talked about it this week, we knew we were gonna have good weather, we were gonna have a nice course, if it was going to come together it would be today.

“Nate Murphy, our sixth man, was 2-under with two to play … he finished even par. Braden hit a few wayward shots early, but he birdied nine and eagled on his last hole to go under par. That was impressive, we’re starting to play with some confidence, which is fun to see.”

Jacob Harris carded Fairmont’s co-low score of 40 with a birdie on the par-5 sixth, while Brock Lutterman birdied the par-5 seventh to card his co-low 40.

Alexander Moeller recorded the third Cardinal counting score of 41 with birdies on the par-5 second and sixth holes.

Hartley Aust birdied the second and seventh holes to card a 43 for the final Cardinal counting score.

“Overall, we played well, it was one of those rounds where we just didn’t close it down the stretch,” Fairmont assistant coach Ryan Stevens said. “… The guys played pretty solid, it was just unfortunate that we had a team like Blue Earth (Area) come over and put up a lot of really good rounds. We’re grinding, our guys rebounded when they put up some big numbers. … Ultimately we just need to keep pushing each other, we’ll have a little qualifying this week for Saturday’s invite and everyone is kind of excited.”

Max Ehrich connected for a birdie on the par-4 ninth hole to card a 43 for the final BEA score.

Mathew Cone and Blake Hilgendorf each shot a 46 for the final two Cardinal scores.

Cone recorded a birdie on the sixth hole, while Hilgendorf carded three pars.

Fairmont plays host to invitational action at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Interlaken Golf Course in Fairmont. Fairmont will face BEA, JCC, Marshall, Minnewaska Area, North Union, Pipestone Area, St. Peter, Windom and Worthington.

BEA goes to the Windom Country Club for triangular action at 4:30 p.m. Thursday against Mt. Lake Area and Windom.

Girls Golf

The Fairmont Cardinals finished second at the Big South Conference East Division girls meet Monday at Lakeside Golf Course in Waseca.

St. Peter took first with a team score of 185, while Fairmont’s 195 was second. Blue Earth Area tied for fifth at 222.

Maggy Totzke led the Cardinals with her runner-up score of 43 with a birdie on the par-5 fifth hole.

Anika Haugen’s tied for fifth place overall with a 47, including one par, carded Fairmont’s second score, while Solveig Senf made par on two holes en route to a 51 for the Cardinals.

Brynn Gustafson recorded the Cardinals’ final counting score of 54 with one par.

Lauren Davis carded a 56 for Fairmont, while Bailey Martinson recorded a 58.

Kylie Rosenau shot a 52 for the top BEA score, while Lyndsey Borris hit a 55 and Payten Gudahl carded a 56. Rylan Storbeck recorded the final BEA counting score of 59.

Katelyn Storbeck hit a 65 for BEA and Allie Lopez carded an 80.

Fairmont and BEA play in the St. Peter Invite at 2 p.m. today at Shoreland Country Club.

North Union 186, Garner-Hayfield-Ventura 210, Eagle Grove 255 — Halle Rezac’s season-low medalist nine-hole score of 45 powered the Warriors to another school-record team total during triangular action Monday at Garner Golf and Country Club.

Olivia Von Bank birdied the par-3 seventh hole on the way to her runner-up medalist total of 46, while Vanessa Von Bank birdied the par-4 fourth hole to help card a 47 for third on the Warriors and third overall.

Jordyn Cummins birdied the par-5 fifth hole to record the final North Union counting score at fourth overall with a 48.

Carys Fuller shot her best round of the season with a 57 for North Union, while Amelia Fothergill shot a 59 for the Warriors.

North Union plays host to Belmond-Klemme and West Hancock in triangular action at Country Greens Golf Course in Armstrong at 4:15 p.m. Friday.