After falling from a share of first place to third place at the midway point of the Mid-Minnesota Conference season, Jim Weinzierl was looking for the Park Rapids boys golf team to take advantage of playing on familiar territory to get back in contention to win the conference title.
The Panthers capitalized on playing on their home course by carding a 209 at Headwaters Country Club Monday afternoon to win the third conference meet and get in position to win the Mid-Minnesota Conference West title.
All six of Park Rapids' golfers finished either first or second at their positions as the Panthers earned 24.4 points to move into second place in the overall conference standings. Staples-Mot-ley remained in first place after three meets with 64.5 points while Park Rapids closed in on the top spot with 62.5 points. Wadena-Deer Creek scored only 14.5 points and dropped to third with 54 points while United North Central stayed in fourth place with 21 points.
Weinzierl's team will attempt to win the conference title Tuesday at Blueberry Pines in the final conference meet. The winning team and runner-up following Tuesday's meet advance to the Mid-Minne-sota Conference Championship May 21 at Wadena.
"This was huge," said Weinzierl, whose team finished six strokes ahead of Staples-Motley to claim top honors. "This gets us back in contention to win the title."
ADVERTISEMENT
Justin Dennis carded a 45 to win the No. 3 spot and Adam Eskola shot a 40 to win the No. 6 position. Ben Brandon tied for first at the No. 4 position with a 42 while Landon Kohlrusch (with a 40 at No. 1), Justin Borchart (with a 42 at No. 2) and Dusty Craig (with a 49 at No. 5) all finished second.
Brad Quast of Staples-Motley shot a 1-over-par 37 to earn medalist honors.
Park Rapids also won the junior varsity meet as O.C. Haugen (48), Derek Holden (47), Giacomo Sicilliani (47), Nate Schmidgall (44), Jared Naeve (48) and Ryan Criswell (46) combined to shoot a 232. Schmidgall earned medalist honors as the Panthers scored 30.5 points to take over second place behind W-DC's 72.5 points after three meets.
Meet results: Park Rapids (209) 24.5 points, Staples-Motley (215) 22.5 points, Wadena-Deer Creek (217) 14.5 points, United North Central (251) 6.5 points.
Overall team standings: Staples-Motley 64.5 points, Park Rapids 62.5 points, Wadena-Deer Creek 54 points, United North Central 21 points.
Individual results
No. 1 player: 1, Brad Quast, SM, 37. 2, Landon Kohlrusch, PR, 40. 3, Matt Kramer, WDC, 42. 4, Tyler Hillukka, UNC, 47.
No. 2 player: 1, Jon Taves, WDC, 40. 2, Justin Borchart, PR, 42. 3, Nick Forsberg, SM, 46. 4, Trent Hillukka, UNC, 54.
ADVERTISEMENT
No. 3 player: 1, Justin Dennis, PR, 45. 2, Zach Israelson, SM, 46. 3, Andrew Browne, WDC, 47. 4, Gerald Klemz, UNC, 51.
No. 4 player: 1 (tie), Ben Brandon, PR, and Ben Duhn, SM, 42. 3, Brandon Kramer, WDC, 43. 4, Cody Brostrom, UNC, 51.
No. 5 player: 1, Travis Myers, SM, 44. 2, Dusty Craig, PR, 49. 3 (tie), Steve Pinoniemi, UNC, and Michael Schmidt, WDC, 50.
No. 6 player: 1, Adam Eskola, PR, 40. 2, Colton Borg, WDC, 45. 3, Michael Strain, SM, 48. 4, Brock Clement, UNC, 52.
Panthers card 376 at DL
Aaron Wheeler shot a 73 to earn medalist honors and lead Moorhead to a 309 and the team title at Tuesday's Detroit Lakes Invitational.
Park Rapids shot a 376 behind Eskola's 87, Borchart's 94 and a pair of 98s by Craig and T.J. Becker.
Team scores: Moorhead 309, Detroit Red 312, Fargo Shanley 324, Grand Rapids 330, Bemidji 332, West Fargo 334, Crookston 335, Thief River Falls 337, Park Christian 340, Detroit Lakes White 340, Grand Forks Central 348, Detroit Lakes Black 355, Park Rapids 376.
ADVERTISEMENT
Individual results
Medalist: Aaron Wheeler, Moorhead, 73.
Park Raids results
Adam Eskola 87, Justin Borchart 94, Dusty Craig 98, T.J. Becker 98, O.C. Haugen 100.
Boys card 356 at Deacon's
Brainerd won a tiebreaker over Virginia to win the team title with a 306 at Wednesday's Deacon's Invitational.
Borchart's 85, Dennis' 87, Kohlrusch's 90 and Eskola's 94 led the Panthers to sixth place with a 356. Virginia's Dan Bilde earned medalist honors with a 73.
Team scores: Brainerd 306, Virginia 306, Bemidji 337, Pequot Lakes 341, Staples-Motley 354, Park Rapids 356, Pine River-Backus 373, Crosby-Ironton 388, Wadena-Deer Creek 397.
ADVERTISEMENT
Individual results
Medalist: Dan Bilde, Virginia, 73. 2, Mitch Means, Brainerd, 74. 3, Tyler Hill, Virginia, 75.
Park Raids results
Justin Borchart 85, Justin Dennis 87, Landon Kohlrusch 90, Adam Eskola 94, Ben Brandon 101.
