2A State Golf

As any player can tell you, golf can be a fickle game.  One bounce one way, one putt goes another.  Such was the case Monday, May 21, when the 2A State Golf tournament was held at Spring Creek Golf Course in Seneca.  The Ellsworth Bearcats finished 3rd in the NCAA League contest earlier this month in Russell.  They finished 3rd again at the Belleville Regional last Monday.  But when it mattered most, the Bearcats put 3 golfers in the top 20 to finish 4 shots ahead of Wakeeny-Trego Community to win the title.  Bearcat senior Mark Cunningham finished runner up with a 71 to set the pace, Matthew Keener fired a 78 to tie for 11th, and Garret Bland finished t-19 with an 82.  “We've played great rounds individually all year long, and we've had a couple tournaments where we've put it all together, but nothing compared to this stage,” said Bearcat head coach Kevin Haxton.  “We've got a group of 5 seniors and a sophomore, and it's a great way end their high school career.”

Individually, Cunningham was bested by one shot by Oberlin-Decatur Community's Kade Brown.  Playing in the third to last group, Brown posted 1-under 35 on the front nine, and was cruising along the back when he ran into trouble on the par 4 14^th.  “I actually chunked my second shot about 20 yards short, and then chipped that in for birdie, and that was a big turning point in my round,”said the unassuming junior.  With an “aw shucks” grin, he received a great ovation from the crowd that had gathered for the post round awards.  Olpe's Chase Coble, who shot 2-under 62 at the Ellinwood Regional, fired 72 to finish 3^rd.  Sterling's Michael Hendricks birdied the 18^th to finish solo 4^th with a 75, one shot ahead of Kansas City-Christian's Christian Bickley and Colin Kettler, Republic County's  Blake Porter, and Ellis' Austin Lopez and Skyler Tebo.

1)      Kade Brown- Oberlin-Decatur- 70

2)      Mark Cunningham- Ellsworth- 71

3)      Chase Coble-  Olpe- 72

4)      Michael Hendricks- Sterling- 75

   t-5)  Colin Kettler- KC-Christian- 76

   t-5)  Christian Bickley- KC-Christian- 76

   t-5)  Blake Porter- Republic County- 76

   t-5)  Austin Lopez- Ellis-  76

   t-5)  Skyler Tebo-  Ellis-  76

10)  Nick Walsh- Lyndon-  77

11)    Matthew Keener- Ellsworth-  78

12)  Blake Huxton- Wakeeny-Trego-  78

13)  Devyn Bebermyer- Republic County-  79

14)  Brad Pfannenstiel- Wakeeny-Trego-  79

15)  Devin Arndt- Olpe-  80

16)  Brogan Jones- Sterling-  80

17)  Garrett Berry- Oberlin-Decatur-  80

18)  Cameron Coleman- Syracuse-  81

19)  Garrett Bland-  Ellsworth-  82

20)  Adrian Pfannenstiel- Meade-  82

21)  Cameron Staples- Wakeeny-Trego-  82

1)      Ellsworth- 322

2)      Wakeeny-Trego-  326

3)      KC-Christian-  332

4)      Sterling-  333

      5)  Ellis-  335

      6)  Republic County-  336