REGIONAL- Northeast Range/Ely’s Carena DeBeltz and North Woods’ Gage Aune competed against the best in high school Class A golf last week when they participated in the Minnesota State High School League state championship in Becker.
The tournament was played at Pebble Creek Golf Club on June 10-11. Pebble Creek is rated the fifth-best public course in Minnesota by Golf Pass, known for its wide fairways, scenic views, and challenging greens.
It was a return trip for DeBeltz, who competed last year with the Nighthawks team and placed 51st in the rain-shortened event. The weather was better this time around, but the competition was tougher and the course trickier as Debeltz shot an opening round 116 on the par 72-layout, putting her well back in the field. But the senior made an impressive rally in the second round, shaving 18 strokes off her first-round score to card a 98 and finish 69th with a 214 total.
North Woods freshman Aune made his first trip to the big dance and opened with a 91, struggling a bit on the back nine after playing well early. He steadied the ship in the second round, coming in with an 86 for a 36-hole total of 177, also finishing 69th in the 88-player field.
Lindsey Lund, of Dawson-Boyd, captured the girls’ title with a score of 152. The tournament champion for the boys was Alex Rhode, of Heritage Christian Academy, who shot a 146.