Golf season ends at WIAA sectionals for New Richmond, Somerset boys teams

• Danny Green

Sophomore Danny Green played one of his best rounds of the season in the WIAA sectional tournament at Amery.

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The golf seasons of the New Richmond and Somerset boys varsity teams came to an end last week at their respective WIAA sectional tournaments.

The Somerset boys qualified as a team for the Division 2 Unity sectional meet, but they weren’t able to advance anyone to state, finishing eighth among the 12 teams entered.

New Richmond had two players entered in the Division 1 Marshfield Sectional Tournament. They played well, but neither was able to reach the low scores required to be a state qualifier.

The Somerset boys were hoping for a better finish than eighth, but they knew there was almost no chance of advancing to state as a team. Unity and Northwestern were the teams that advanced, with scores of 319 and 320, which are 15 strokes better than anything the Spartans produced this season.

Somerset coach Bill Powers said he felt badly that senior Jake Green wasn’t able to qualify for state. With the quality of the teams in the sectional meet, Powers told his golfers it would take a score below 80 to be in contention for one of the state individual qualifier positions. Green was on pace to be a state qualifier, playing par golf through the first eight holes. Disaster struck when his drive on the ninth hole went out of bounds. He ended up three-putting the hole and the nine he took on that hole sunk his chances for advancing. He finished with an 84, which led the Spartans.

Green’s younger brother, Danny, had one of his best rounds, shooting an 88. Matt Skoglund finished at 89, Zach Bahr at 92 and Hunter Iverson at 95.

With Jake Green as the only senior on the team, Powers said he thinks the team can be just as strong, if not stronger, next season.

Filling Jake Green’s shoes will be a challenge. Green was named as the Most Valuable Player for the Spartans. He tied the team’s nine-hole scoring record this year and ranked among the top individuals in the Middle Border Conference.

New Richmond had junior Ben Norman and sophomore Tanner Wisemiller qualify for the Division 1 sectional meet. Incredibly forceful winds gusting 25-35 mph provided a challenge for all golfers, with just three golfers finishing in the 70s.

Norman and Wisemiller finished in the middle of the pack of 48 golfers. Norman shot 88 in the tournament and Wisemiller finished with a 90.

“It was a good experience for them. Hopefully they learn from it,” said Tiger coach Jim Saliny.

With four-fifths of his varsity lineup expected to return next season, Saliny said there are high goals. He said the team surprised him this season, but there are areas they can improve, especially in the short game.

“Hopefully we can win the conference and go further as a team (in the WIAA tournament),” Saliny said in charting next season’s goals.

Tags: sports, spartans, golf, prep