Lynx golfers improve second-day scores to snag 9th at state
By:
Jill Meier, Journal editor
Jill Meier/BV Journal
BV senior Jace Christoffer closed out his prep career at the state tournament, where ce carded a two-day 179 total to tie for 58th place.
Things didn’t go as planned for the Lynx boys at the 2020 Class AA state golf tournament last week. Coming into the tournament as the 11th seed, Brandon Valley’s six-man team opened play on the difficult back nine and struggled to get things going in the right direction on day one.
“We unfortunately played ourselves out of contention to place on the podium,” said BV head coach Todd Geerdes.
At the end of day one, BV found themselves 23 shots back of sixth place, positioning themselves in the 10th-place slot, essentially taking the team out of a presence on the podium.
Although the Lynx fell out of a team-contention prize, individually, BV had opportunity to nab All-State honors.
“Our team goal was to try to gain back the 16 strokes we were behind the seventh-place team,” Geerdes said. “We finished two shots shy of our goal.”
When the Lynx returned to Willow Run for day two of state tourney play, Geerdes told his team they needed to score around 75 on windy day to earn the All-State laurels. The AA state champion – Lincoln’s Nash Stenberg – averaged 71 for two days to earn medalist honors.
Nash led the Patriots to the 2020 team title, posting a 617. Runner-up Watertown and third-place O’Gorman finished the tournament at 622 and 636. BV’s ninth-place ranking was based on their 678 team tally.
The best score on day two for BV was posted by senior Emmet Hansen, who carded a 75 for a 23rd place finish. He was the lone Lynx to land All-State honors.
BV junior Nick Hokenstad fired an 87 on day one, but rallied back with an 81 on day two to cash in a 168 total to tie for 29th place.
Lynx teammates Logan Kelling and Colby Meyer both registered two-day totals of 174, good enough to tie for 41st. Rounding out the Lynx scores were senior Jace Christoffer’s 179, which put him in a tie for 58th, and Owen Sanders’ 182, which landed him in a tie for 60th.
“I was proud of the way our players handled themselves and they continued to grind, have a positive Lynx Way attitude, and fight to a ninth-place finish,” Geerdes said. “Overall, the Lynx golfers had a successful season, even though it didn’t end with the state tournament outcome we had hoped for.”
The Lynx will graduate two from the program, Emmet Hansen and Jace Christoffer, but will return with four varsity players with experience.
Geerdes will also depart ways with the Lynx golf program, as he will retire from both his middle school teaching assignment and head coach of both the boys and girls golf programs.
Class AA State Tournament
Oct. 5-6, Willow Run
Team scores: 1.) SF Lincoln 307, 310 - 617; 2.) Watertown 317, 305 - 622; 3.) O’Gorman 317, 319 - 636; 4.) Yankton 320-324 - 644; 5.) Harrisburg 329, 316 - 645; 6.) SF Roosevelt 325, 329 - 654; 7.) Pierre 333, 343 - 676; 8.) RC Stevens 342, 335 - 677; 9.) Brandon Valley 349, 329 - 678; 10.) Spearfish 340, 339 - 689; 11.) Mitchell 349, 356 - 705; 12.) RC Central 350, 356 - 706; 13.) SF Washington 359, 348 - 707; 14.) Aberdeen Central 367, 356 - 723; 15.) Brookings 381, 367 - 748; 16.) Huron 392, 379 - 771; 17.) 449, 439 - 888.
Lynx results: T23.) Emmet Hansen 88, 75 -163; T29.) Nick Hokenstad 87, 81 -168; T41.) Logan Kelling 86, 88 - 174; T41.) Colby Meyer 89, 85 -174; T58.) Jace Christoffer 88, 91 -179; T60.) Owen Sanders 94, 88 -182.
