REGIONAL- Class 2A Rock Ridge appears to be the area’s dominant force in girls’ golf this season, having claimed the top eight spots in last week’s Greenway-Nashwauk-Keewatin meet in Coleraine, but the NER/Ely Nighthawks are shaping up well for another run at the Class A state tourney.
The Nighthawks finished second in the tournament, with three golfers taking the ninth through eleventh spots. Carena Debeltz carded the team’s low score with a round of 50, followed by Danica Sunblad with a 53 and Maizy Sunblad with a 54. Anna Maria Mancini rounded out the top four for the ‘Hawks with a 65. Cylvia Debeltz shot a 67.
In Monday’s ten-team Mesabi East Invitational at Giants Ridge, Rock Ridge again ran away from the field, winning the team competition by 52 strokes in the 18-hole event. NER/Ely topped the Class A schools entered, placing fourth overall. Danica Sunblad cracked the top ten, placing seventh with a round of 103. Maizy Sunblad finished in a tie for tenth with a 106. Carena Debeltz shot a 114, good enough for a three-way tie for 19th. Cylvia Debeltz carded a 142 for 39th place.
Boys
The NER/Ely boys hit the links at Giants Ridge as well, though with only two entrants in the tournament. Alex Merriman and Jayden Zemke shot identical scores of 91 to tie for 13th place.
The pair could be making ties a habit, as they also tied for 11th place at a tournament in Two Harbors, with a score of 50.