Journal Sports Writer

NORTH MANKATO — With the success that the Springfield girls and the Sleepy Eye United boys have had over the years, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to hear that both golf teams will be heading back to the Class A state tournament this year.

After the final day of the Section 2A golf tournament at North Links Golf Course on Monday, the Springfield girls turned in a score of 752 overall after two days to make it back to state for the fourth year in a row. They had a first day score of 384 last Thursday and finished Monday with a 368.

Leading the way for the Springfield girls was this year’s section champion Makenna Winkelmann, who had a Day 2 score of 79 and an overall score of 168. The senior finished six strokes ahead of New Ulm Cathedral’s Kayla Goblirsch, who finished Day 2 carding a 90 for a second-place score of 174.

Winkelmann was joined by three of her teammates in the top-10 overall finishes after Monday. Mackenzie Lothert finished third with a 181, while Anna Plotz finished fourth with a 196. Lacole Weisensel tied for eighth place (207).

Springfield head coach Dillon Schultz said that consistency is what the team has strived for the past couple of years. He said that he was proud of the improvements his team has made this year, especially after losing last year’s individual state champion Callie Wersal to graduation.

“We want to be a team that competes with each other and pushes each other to be the best, not only on our team but in the conference and section,” Schultz said. “It’s great to see all four of our golfers improving throughout the year and over the years — going out there and placing well compared to everybody, not just our own teams.”

Winkelmann improved 10 strokes from her finish last Thursday (89) and said that she was surprised with how well she played to wrap things up in the section tournament.

“Coming into the day, I knew that being behind I’d have to grind out a good score,” Winkelmann said. “Honestly, I don’t even know what to say.

I played the best round I’ve had and it’s just surreal. I just can’t believe it.”

This will be the fourth time Winkelmann has been at state, while Lothert and Plotz make their third appearance and Weisensel makes her first.

Winkelmann said that there is a little added pressure on the team to do well again at state this year.

“There’s probably a little more added pressure with only four girls,” Winkelmann said. “We don’t have two other scorers if something were to happen like a bad day. We don’t have that this year, so I think there is more pressure for us four girls as a team to push ourselves to do better and shoot lower.”

Also joining the Springfield girls and Goblirsch at state this year from the area will be Cedar Mountain’s Erica Bock, who finished fifth overall (200) and Shaylee Schiller, who finished seventh overall (206). Cedar Mountain finished second overall in the tournament with a score of 873.

Madelia’s Allyson Missling finished with a 213, good for 11th overall, while Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop’s Annie Pomplun took 12th with a 216.

SLEEPY EYE UNITED BOYS BACK TO STATE

The SEU boys had a Day 1 score of 322 last Thursday and wrapped up Day 2 on Monday with a score of 328, finishing with a 650 overall score. This will be the third straight year the SEU boys have made it to state.

Ben Laffen led SEU overall with a total score of 151, one stroke shy of Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Sam Pfingsten (150). Laffen had a second day score of 76, while Pfingsten had a 78.

But Pfingsten’s Day 1 performance, where he carded a 72, was enough to earn him the title of Section 2A’s individual champion. Despite finishing just behind Pfingsten, who will be heading back to state this year individually, Laffen will be joined by his entire team, a team that finished 50 strokes ahead of second-place Martin County West (700).

Despite Laffen’s solid performance, his competitive nature caused him to be disappointed with his Day 2 performance.

“I’m not too satisfied with my performance,” Laffen said. “After shooting 75 the first day, I really wanted to come in with a lower score today. But 76 — conditions were tough, it was really windy and explaining that it was the low score on the day, it just shows you how tough the conditions were. But there’s always one hole or putt out there that you wish you could have back. I just wish I could have a couple shots back and I would have a completely different story for myself.”

Pfingsten is making his third trip to the state meet and he’s playing the best golf of his career in his senior season.

“Just really being able to keep my head in the game,” Pfingsten said. “Get through those tough shots and being able to capitalize when I’m able to, pulling off shots that I know I can do, obviously that comes with mental maturity.”

While Pfingsten and Laffen have battled many times on the course, it feels good for Pfingsten to hold off Laffen, one of the state’s top golfers in Class A.

“It’s very accomplishing,” Pfingsten said. “The scores show that I beat him, obviously I’m out there trying to beat the course. Ben Laffen is a very credited golfer and everyone looks up to him. Him and I are going to be teammates next year hopefully at MSU — I look up to him and he’s super cool and I give him credit for what he’s done.”

SEU’s Andrew Neid and Logan Netzke both tied for eighth overall (165), while Toby Weiss finished 13th overall with a 173.

Also for SEU, Thor Weiss finished 15th overall (176), while Parker Landkammer finished 18th overall (179).

SEU head coach Crystal Ibberson said that she was proud to see the hard work continue to pay off for the boys.

“When one or two of them are having a bad day and maybe not golfing as well, the other couple of them pick up the slack,” Ibberson said. “Ben is one that we can count on pretty much all the time, he’s had a lot of years of experience, but this group of boys is probably the most dedicated group of boys I think I’ve ever seen in a sport. They wore the golf course out in Sleepy Eye this past week golfing and working on their game. They’ll seek out anyone they can to help them and they’re willing to always take constructive criticism.

“They play well together,” she added. “This weekend I was out there, and I saw every single one of them out there. They’re very dedicated and they worked very hard to be here, throughout the last how many years even. I’m just so super proud of them.”

Laffen has plenty of state experience, with this year being his fourth year in a row at the tournament. He said that he enjoyed his first year at state, but enjoys being there with his team even more.

“Freshman year, experiencing that as an individual, that was a lot of fun,” Laffen said. “But then sophomore and junior year, advancing there as a team — that’s just a lot more enjoyable. You’re with your teammates and you’re just enjoying the moment and advancing your friendships that way. It’s just a lot of fun.”

Also making it to state for area boys are Springfield’s Mason Kretsch, who finished third (159), and Cathedral’s Ethan Kirchberg, who finished tied for fifth (163).

Springfield’s Mavrick Winkelmann came up just short of making state, shooting a 164 overall, good for seventh. Madelia’s Jared Henry finished with a 166, good enough to tie for 10th overall, while Cathedral’s Logan Haala finished 12th with a 170.

The Class A State Golf Tournament will be held June 12-13 at Pebble Creek in Becker.

Boys’ Team Scores

Team Day 2 Overall

1. Sleepy Eye United 76-79-81-92 650

2. Martin County West 77-82-84-104 700

3. Madelia 83-87-88-93 701

4. New Ulm Cathedral 81-93-100-100 715

Girls’ Team Scores

Team Day 2 Overall

1. Springfield 79-87-101-101 752

2. Cedar Mountain 103-105-115-116 873

3. Madelia 109-111-118-123 913

4. Alden-Conger 105-111-115-WD 977

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