Trojans, Cubs, MCHS qualify for state tournament

The Parkston boys' golf team qualified for its third consecutive state tournament appearance and claimed the Region 3A title Monday at Lakeview Golf Course in Mitchell.

The Trojans shot a team score of 321, winning by 25 strokes over Chamberlain, which qualified for state for a second straight season, with a 346.

“This is the lowest a Parkston team has shot in Class A,” said Parkston coach Tyler Hockett, whose team was runner-up in Region 3A to Winner last season. “We’re a young team, but we have 19 kids on the team so it keeps practice very competitive. I think that is what has brought our scores down.”

Mitchell Christian rounded out the top three team slots, shooting 364, qualifying for its first state tournament berth since 2009. Winner finished five strokes behind MCHS and didn’t qualify for the first time since 2007.

“This is probably our lowest score of the season by 15 strokes, so for us it’s really good timing to do that,” Mitchell Christian coach Mike Rieck said. “(Adam) Rasmussen improved his score by shooting 100 and that’s what helped us qualify in the end.”

Last season, Mitchell Christian qualified just two golfers in Adam Bleeker and Jackson Feiner.

Bleeker, who finished in third place with a 73, said to compete with a team at the state tournament is special.

“It’s fun because we have a full team this year,” Bleeker said. “It’s good to see all of us qualify and be able to do it together.”

Rieck said the season has been about working as a team to earn success.

“It’s exciting to see the team comradery that comes with qualifying,” Rieck said. “That’s part of the reason we wanted to get a few more of our guys out for golf this year.

“Golf can be such an individual sport because everyone goes out and gets their own score, but to see teammates pulling for one another and for them to get a score to post together, that has meaning.”

Chamberlain’s Coleman Caldwell, who won the individual title with a 72 on the day, said he feels confident about his game and the team heading into next week.

The top 55 percent advance individually to the Class A state tournament, which takes place Oct. 1-2 in Spearfish.

“Going into state with a 72 is a pretty decent score, but I know I have the game to shoot better,” said Caldwell. “I’m going to work on a few things this week, and I just hope I can shoot my best at state.

“Our goal at the beginning of the year was to make state as a team,” Caldwell added. “We’re so glad that we were able to accomplish that.”

Parkston had three finishers in the top five, including Jake Weber in second with a 73, Ty Kinneberg in third with 79 strokes and Garret Hohn in fifth place with an 81.

“They did their job today,” Hockett said. “If we do something like this in Spearfish, I think we’re going to make the top six, which is our team goal.”

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