Boys' golf to STATE!

History was made today at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Willmar as the B-B-E Jaguars boys' golf team won the Section 5A championship for the first time ever. The boys' golf program was founded in the 1996 season, and they've had multiple squads finish as section runners-up. This is the first year that B-B-E has landed a boys' golf team in the state tournament!

After heading into today's section finals with a slim two-stroke lead over Benson, the Jaguars dominated the field and won the second round of action by a large 15-stroke margin over Benson, 326 to 341. When all 36 holes were in the book, the Jaguars officially claimed the section title with a score of 664. Benson took second with a 681, and Dawson-Boyd was third with a 717.

Showing the team's strong balance, the top four B-B-E scores were 4 of the top 12 scores in the entire field. Gannon Walsh placed second overall with a 156 behind medalist Carter Besonen of Benson (152). Brady Schwinghammer took third with a 157. Spencer Lundberg took 10th with a 173, and Jack Paulson was 12th overall with a 178.

The Class 1A state golf meet is at Pebble Creek Golf Course in Becker on June 14 and 15.

In other news, I saw that Maple Lake's fastpitch team has won four straight games in the Section 5AA playoffs to put themselves in a commanding position for a state tournament berth. I also read that Holdingford, runners-up in the Central Minnesota Conference with an 11-3 record, knocked Sauk Centre out of the Section 6AA playoffs. Holdingford fashioned a 3-2 mark in the postseason, and they were knocked out of state contention today in a 10-9 loss to former CMC rival Pierz. The CMC is a very rugged fastpitch league!