Conference play ends on an upswing for Medford golfers

MEDFORD GOLF

Medford’s late-season surge continued Friday with a third-place finish at Rhinelander’s Northwood Golf Course in the seventh and final Great Northern Conference meet of 2021.

The finish allowed the Raiders to lock up a fifth-place overall finish in the team standings with 23 points, two ahead of sixth-place Rhinelander.

Medford carded a team score of 365, an improvement of 21 strokes from its score in the May 10 Rhinelander Invitational. The Raiders trailed Lakeland (316) and Antigo (358) in Friday’s meet but outshot Rhinelander (374), Northland Pines (379) and Mosinee (381).

Lakeland completed its third straight perfect season in GNC with 49 points. Mosinee (35.5), Antigo (32.5) and Northland Pines (28) were second, third and fourth.

Junior Caleb Heckel shot a 14-over-par 86 Friday to finish ninth for the day and push himself into a 10th-place tie with Brandon Messner in the final individual standings. Both finished with 11.33. Under GNC rules, those two went to a playoff to determine who got the last of five spots on the All-GNC second team. Playing the 396-yard, par-4 first hole, Messner won the playoff with a bogey.

Heckel and Raider freshman Connor Lingen, who finished 14th, landed on the honorable mention. Heckel’s round Friday included a strong 5-over-par 41 on the front nine and birdies on the par 5 seventh hole, the par-4 12th hole and the par-4 17th. Playing in the fourth spot in Medford’s lineup, senior Colton Gowey continued his recent surge with a season-best score of 87. He had splits of 43 and 44 and birdied the par-4 10th and par-5 13th holes. Sophomore Lucas Liske had his second straight strong outing as well. Playing in Medford’s fifth spot, Liske shot a 90 (46-44) that was all sixes or under, except for a pair of sevens. He birdied the 17th hole.

Lingen, playing in the two spot, shot a 102 and Riley Viergutz was hurt by tough 10th and 15th holes and finished at 109.

Lakeland’s Kaeden Nomm wrapped up GNC Player of the Year honors with a first-place score of 77, while T-Bird Jack Rubo shot a 78 to finish second on the day and seventh in the final standings. Lakeland’s Matt Haggart came in third with a 79 and clinched fifth place overall and the last place on the All-GNC first team. Lakeland’s Cody Olson, Antigo’s Joe Volpentesta and Rhinelander’s Koldyn Ge- chas all shot 82s to tie for fourth. Olson was second, Volpentesta was third and Gechas was sixth in the final standings.

Medford, Lakeland, Northland Pines and Tomahawk are all part of the nineteam field that will take part in the WIAA Division 2 Northwestern regional to be played Tuesday at Hidden Greens North in Solon Springs. The top four teams and top four individuals from non-qualifying teams will advance to the June 8 sectional meet at Black River Falls.

5th at Northwestern

The Raiders tested themselves on the regional course, Hiddens Green North, Thursday and fared well, posting a season- best team score of 348 while placing fifth out of eight teams at the Northwestern Invitational.

Liske, Gowey and Riley Viergutz all carded their best 18-hole scores of the season. Liske was outstanding on the back nine, shooting a 1-over-par 37 to finish the round at 10-over-par overall with an 82. That was good for eighth place individually. He bogeyed the par-4 10th, birdied the par-3 12th and bogeyed the par-4 13th. He parred the rest on the back nine.

Heckel and Lingen both shot 88s. Two triple bogeys on par-5s were about all that separated Heckel from threatening a sub-80. Lingen carded sixes or better on every hole but one, including a birdie on the par-3 14th.

Viergutz and Gowey both shot 90s. Viergutz shot 45s on each half of the course, while Gowey was consistent as well with a 46 and 44. Viergutz birdied the 14th.

While Medford found the course to its liking, so did several others that will be competing there in Tuesday’s regional.

Lakeland won the meet with a strong score of 304. Nomm was Thursday’s meet medalist with an incredible 6-under-par 66. He had eight birdies, including two stretches of three in a row. Northwestern shot a 337, led by individual runner-up Trent Meyer (70). Rice Lake was third at 339, led by Braeden Resnick’s 74. Spooner was fourth at 340.

Medford finished ahead of Hayward (361), Lakeland B (387) and Ashland (389). Rubo (75) and Haggart (78) were fourth and fifth individually.