JORDAN, Minn – Glenn Walls, Brett Musich and the entire Class 2A boys state tournament field was called off the Ridges at Sand Creek on Thursday around 5 p.m. With severe weather entering the area – including golf-ball sized hail, ironically – the entire final round was canceled.
“Nothing today mattered, basically,” said Walls, who was on hole No. 16 when the horn sounded.
The final results went back to the scores from Day 1. Walls finished tied for eighth with a 73 (35-38), while fellow Bronco Brett Musich finished tied for 17th with a 75 (37-38).
Walls, who shot a 40 on the front 9 in the final round, admitted a couple birdies down the home stretch could’ve moved him into the top five with the way Thursday’s round was going, but the weather didn’t steal a state title from the junior. Walls finished tied for seventh last year.
“That’s a good two years in a row,” Walls said, noting there was a constant 30 m.p.h. wind on Thursday. “It’s pretty tough with weather like that. But what do you do?”
Musich was participating in his first state tournament.
Broncos junior Maggie West struggled on the first day and grinded out a 106 (53-53). She rebounded with a 95 (44-51) in the final round. The girls tournament started in the morning both days, while the boys teed off in the afternoon. The entire girls tournament avoided the severe weather.
“It was a lot better today,” West said after her final round.
West, participating in her first state meet, didn’t blame her early struggles on just nerves, but also admitted her lack of knowledge of the Ridges at Sand Creek played a role.
“I just don’t think I knew how to play the course,” she said. “I kind of figured it out the last nine I played (on Day 1).”
She expects to do much better next season if she qualifies.
“Oh yea, definitely,” West said.
Seniors Sarah Roering (71-79) and Allie Ostrander (73-77), both from Minnewaska Area, shared the state girls title at 150. Junior Anna Laorr of Breck finished third with a 154 (78-76).
Jake Erickson of Holy Angels won the boys title with a 69 (36-33). Nic Jensen of Rochester Lourdes finished second with a 70 (36-34).
State notes
• From 1928-2010, the only Bronco to capture a state individual golf championship is Jeff Lindvall in 1971. Lindvall shared the title with Bill Rislove of Preston.
• Minnewaska Area in Glenwood won its fifth straight state girls title with a score of 632. The Lakers won the Class A title in 2006 and 2007 before winning three straight titles in Class 2A. Red Wing finished second this year with a 647. Hermantown, the Section 7AA champ, finished fifth with a 765.
• Orono won its third straight boys title with a 292. Rochester Lourdes finished runner-up at 304 and Virginia, the Section 7AA champs, finished with a 305.
• Virginia graduate Tyler Hill, the 2009 Smokey Bear Invitational champion, was in attendance at the Ridges at Sand Creek. He plans to attempt to defend his title at the Falls Country Club over the July 10-11 weekend.
• Anthony Brodeur of Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault was one of nine freshmen in the Class 2A tournament. He's the son of legendary NHL goalie Martin Brodeur.
• Dale McCall, the head girls coach at Holy Family Catholic, walked with West's group on Wednesday, helping out her lone state entree, Bridget Cummings. McCall visits International Falls once or twice a year and is related to the Spry family. She retired after Thursday's round after 20 years as a golf coach.
• The Ridges at Sand Creek played as a par 72 for both the boys and girls. It was 5,468 yards for the girls and 6,638 yards for the boys.
