MCGREGOR- The Northeast Range-Ely girls golf team, driven by the strength of three tournament medalists, won the two-day 7A sectional tournament at the Minnesota National Golf Club in McGregor on Wednesday, cashing a ticket to the Class A state tourney.
The squad had a strong opening round on Tuesday, holding a 29-stroke lead over the only other school eligible to compete for the team championship, Pine River-Backus. Between them, NER-Ely and Pine River-Backhus had 12 of the 20 players competing.
Abby Koivisto was in second, after the first day, just five strokes behind leader Kianna Johnson of Walker-Hackensack-Akeley, coming in with an 87. Maizy Sunblad was sixth with a 102, Cynthia DeBeltz was tied for seventh with a 108, and Danica Sunblad was in ninth position with a 115.
On Wednesday, the course got the best of Koivisto, who faded to a 99 but still ended in a tie for third. Maizy Sunblad shaved a stroke off her first-day score climbed to fifth. Cylvia DeBeltz slipped to eighth with a 110, and Danica Sunblad's 116 left her in tenth place.
ERC Championship
Of the six schools entered in the ERC Championship tournament at Eagle Ridge Golf Course in Coleraine on Thursday, May 23, only three had enough golfers playing to compete for the team title. NER-Ely took second, their 405 total being 27 strokes behind winner Rock Ridge and 61 strokes better than third-place Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin.
Koivisto led the team with a fourth-place finish and a score of 91. Maizy Sunblad shot a 99 to finish eighth, Cylvia DeBeltz carded a 102 for tenth, and Carena DeBeltz shot a 113 for 15th.