Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm’s Will Fossen putts on the back nine during a home golf meet with Mankato East at the New Ulm Country Club on Friday.

NEW ULM — While Mankato East held off New Ulm 364-345 on Friday during an 18-hole nonconference boys golf meet at the New Ulm Country Club, Eagles junior Will Fossen turned his best overall finish of the season.

Despite a half-hour rain delay during the halfway point of the meet, Fossen finished with a 79 to take second behind medalist Carter Dean of Mankato East.

Fossen shot a 37 on the front nine and finished with a 42 on the back nine of the Par-71 course.

“The wind picked up and I was indecisive on my clubs,” Fossen said. “I think the wind was hard on the back nine. But got through the first three holes pretty poorly, but I was saving myself good today, I think that’s why I shot pretty good. I didn’t get myself in trouble too much, but when I did, I got out of it pretty good.

“I think my coaches got me less amped up, calmed down, so I could go out there and get pars, then I just seemed to catch all of the lips on a good four-hole stretch where I went four straight pars. Ended pretty poorly, but 79’s my best round so far.”

New Ulm freshman Brayden Wendinger shot a 93 to finish sixth, while eighth-grade teammate Mason Buegler turned in a 94 for seventh and sophomore teammate Jackson Griebl shot a 98 for eighth.

As the Eagles get into the home stretch of the season on Monday with the second leg of the Big South Conference East Division Tournament at Shoreland Country Club in Kasota.

Fossen, one of the Eagles’ more experienced golfers this year, is hoping to have more top finishes as the season winds down while also improving his teammates any way he can.

“[I want to] probably get top six, top 10 in the other meets,” Fossen said. “And honestly trying to get the other golfers around me better so we can compete. Last year we were ranked last heading into Conference Championship and we ended up finishing sixth, so that’s a pretty big win.”