Mitchell girls take sixth at Lakeview

If Friday was any indication, the Mitchell High School girls’ golf team could be in store for its most successful season in recent memory.

The Kernels welcomed 13 Class AA teams to Lakeview Golf Course for the Mitchell Invitational. Battling wind gusts that reached 35 mph, Mitchell finished in sixth place and garnered two individual medalists.

“That was pretty good,” said Mitchell coach Mark Horan, whose team finished with 380 strokes on the day. “The only team that will be at the state meet that wasn’t there was Rapid City Stevens; to have two medalists in a field of over 100 golfers is pretty nice.”

The top 20 golfers medaled at the event. Mitchell sophomore Kristin Sabers finished tied for 10th with a 90 and freshman Macy Miller took 19th with a 94.

Sabers shot a 41 over her first nine holes, but was hurt by the wind after the turn. She struggled through hole No. 10 and was penalized twice over the final nine holes for hitting the ball out of bounds.

“The back nine holes, there was a lot more wind,” said Sabers, who finished 10 strokes behind event-winner Megan Mingo of Yankton. “Probably one of the best ways to improve your score on a windy day is just to keep the ball in play.”

Miller carded a 47 over her first and second nine holes for her 94. This is Miller’s first year on the varsity squad for the Kernels and she carded a career-best 90 earlier this season in Pierre.

“She’s come a long ways,” Sabers said of Miller.

Senior Courtney Kirby finished with a 97 and Angie Lorenzen carded a 99 for the Kernels. Kendra Cersosimo finished with a 103 and Allysa Sorenson shot a 126 for Mitchell’s other varsity finishers.

The Kernels are hoping to use Friday as a springboard toward the postseason, which ends with the Class AA state meet May 23-24 in Brookings.

Mitchell finished 11th at last season’s state tournament and was 10th two years ago. The Kernels haven’t finished higher than 11th at the state tournament since they took third in 2003.

“We said anywhere between six and eighth would be good so we’re happy with where we fell,” Sabers said.

The Kernels finished one shot ahead of seventh-place Aberdeen and two shots in front of eighth-place Sioux Falls Lincoln. Pierre won the team competition with a 358. The Governors were led by Paige Erickson’s third-place individual finish. Erickson shot an 82.

Dani Selberg, of Brookings, carded an 81 to take second individually while Sioux Falls O’Gorman’s Claire Jansa and Watertown Haliee Pieper tied for fourth with 84s. Horan said the field had trouble with the wind, which was blowing from the south and kept the temperatures in the mid-70s throughout the round.

“Everybody had wrecks all day in that wind, but we did pretty good,” Horan said.

Mitchell Invitational

Friday at Lakeview Golf Course

Team results

1, Pierre 358; 2, Brookings 360; 3, Yankton 362; 4, Sioux Falls O’Gorman 365; 5, Huron 371; 6, Mitchell 380; 7, Aberdeen 381; 8, Sioux Falls Lincoln 382; 9, Watertown 396; 10, Sioux Falls Washington 400; 11, Sioux Falls Roosevelt 406; 12, Brandon Valley 415; 13, Sturgis 415; 14, Rapid City Central 464; 15, Mitchell JV 493

Individual results (Top 20 medalists)

1, Megan Mingo (Y) 80; 2, Dani Selberg (B) 81; 3, Paige Erickson (P) 82; 4, Claire Jansa (SFO) 84; 4, Haliee Pieper (W) 84; 6, Brianna Kuckelburg (A) 87; 7, Lauren Fitts (B) 87; 8, Brittany Rotert (H) 87; 8, Hallie Getz (P) 87; 10, MacKenzie Klein (H) 88; 10, Michaela Kouri (SFO) 88; 10, Kristin Sabers (M) 90; 10, Hannah Withrow (W) 90; 14, Erin Radke (SFL) 91; 15, Natalie Turner (BV) 92; 16, Karissa Guthrie (P) 92; 17, Kelsey Johnson (SFO) 92; 18, Mae Meierhenry (SFL) 93; 19, Macy Miller (M) 94; 20, Amanda Tobin (A) 95; 20, Maria Darrah (B) 95; 20, Kayelynn Bauer (SFR) 95; 20, Taylor Specht (Y) 95.

Other Mitchell finishers

Courtney Kirby 97, Angie Lorenzen 99, Kendra Cersosimo 103, Allysa Sorenson 126. JV: Bailey Magstadt 143, Allison Miller 129, Maddie Morgan 159, Allison Buckley 121, Kylie Barington 122, Madison Vanwalleghen 121.

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