Golf: Youth movement highlights state golf for area – Brainerd Dispatch

BRAINERD — Brady Oseland enjoyed a memorable opening round at his first-ever state tournament last year.

The then eighth-grader fired a 76 at Bunker Hills Golf Club during the Class 3A State Tournament opening round. The Brainerd Warrior fired a second-round 84 to place 58th with a 160.

He is back after placing fifth in the Section 8-3A Tournament with a two-day 145 (71-74).

“He’s had the confidence all season long,” Warriors head coach Tim Johnson said. “He looks comfortable. He knows the course. Just talking with him, he’s in a good spot and feels rested. They’ve been practicing and playing a lot of rounds now that school is out.

“He played well for the first 13 holes last year. He knows what it feels like. The nerves on hole one won’t be as apparent. He’ll take what he learned from last year.”

Oseland is ranked No. 50 individually in Class 3A, but it was his teammate Aydan Dobis, who won the Section 8-3A individual title with a two-day 137 (70-67).

This will be the freshman’s first state appearance.

Dobis peppered his scorecard on both days of the section tournament with red circles. He posted two eagles and three birdies on Day One. Then tallied eight birdies during the final round.

“I knew he had this potential, but I’d be lying if I said this is where I knew he would end up,” Johnson said of Dobis. “I figured he’d be in our top six once he fully transitioned from the hockey season. It’s great to see. It’s good to see his hard work and time and effort pay off. Seven-under is an atypical round for some kids. To be in that position, he handled it well. It was like he was just having fun and playing backyard golf a little bit with his buddies. He was throwing darts and I know he made some putts to achieve those scores. When everything goes right, it’s a very fun game.”

Johnson believes both freshmen have the proper mindsets and maturity levels to attack Bunker Hills.

“Aydan and Brady are both great putters,” Johnson added. “They are the future of the Warriors. We’re excited to be in this position. They are two great players who love the game. They’re growing up very quickly.”

Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

Genevieve Birkeland is no stranger to state tournaments.

She has played the Ridges at Sand Creek, site of the Class 2A state tournament, 15 times in competition and numerous other times for practice.

The Pequot Lakes senior will conclude her high school career when she and the Pequot Lakes Patriots compete June 10-11.

This will be Birkeland’s fifth state appearance. She’s gone to state every year since joining Pequot’s varsity as an eighth grader. She’s earned All-State honors the last three years, including a fifth-place finish last year.

Birkeland is ranked No. 3 individually and the Patriots are ranked No. 11 according to Iwanamaker.com. Pequot won the Section 6-2A title for the fifth-straight time.

Bill Johnson / Picture Day Pro!

“We have some good expectations for Genevieve,” Pequot Lakes head coach Savannah Nelson said. “She’s kind of peaking at the right time of the season. I’m excited to see what she can do at Ridges, which she knows very well. I think we have a good game plan going into it. I think we can definitely get on the podium and even do better than that.”

This will be Alexa Pietig’s third state appearance. She finished 44th as a sophomore with a 27-hole 134 (93-41). Addison Headley is making her second state appearance. She placed 74th as a freshman with a 155 (106-49). Teammate Claire Oseland finished with the same score and place with rounds of 107-48.

First-time state competitors are Mia Trumpold and Maria Neva.

“Coming off of last year, we lost three seniors, so those were big shoes to fill,” Nelson said. “Starting at the beginning of the year, we didn’t really know what to expect because they are so young. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by everyone’s progress. All the girls have been consistent with each other. There is never a huge gap between the scores and that helps because coming into the state tournament, a lot of it comes down to what your fourth, fifth and sixth players can shoot.”

The top four-ranked teams advanced, including No. 1-ranked Detroit Lakes. No. 2 Holy Family Catholic advanced along with No. 3 Minnewaska, No. 4 Hill-Murray, No. 7 Lake City, No. 8 Totino-Grace and No. 24 Rock Ridge.

Little Falls’ Imagine Hines is ranked No. 46 individually in Class 2A. Last year, she placed 57th as an eighth grader with a 27-hole 139 (93-46). A few spots back was Pierz’s Whitney LeBlanc. The then-freshman fired a 60th-place 142 (87-55). This will be their second state appearance.

“Whitney has been playing pretty well,” Pierz head coach Jessica LeBlanc said. “Two weeks ago, she set a new school record for 18 holes with a 78, May 22 in Milaca. She is comfortable. She’s only a sophomore, so it’s another year to just do the best she can.”

This will be Staples-Motley’s Walker Johnson’s first state appearance.

“I think there are a lot of similarities between Ridges at Sand Creek and Blackberry Hills, where we play our section tournament,” S-M head coach Glen Hasselberg said. “There are similar types of holes and she seemed to handle that quite well at the section. She’s a strong player. She should pop up and put up a good score. It isn’t a surprise to me that she finished fifth and advanced.”

S-M’s Carter White will attempt to finish his career with another state title. The Cardinal senior was the individual state champion as a sophomore and finished third last year with a 27-hole 108 (72-36). He was three shots out of first place.

Bill Johnson / Picture Day Pro!

White placed third in the Section 6-2A Tournament with another rain-shortened 109 (72-37). White is the second-ranked Class 2A individual.

“I think he’d like to improve on the 27-hole debacle last year, where he just ran out of holes,” Hasselberg said. “We always have the philosophy that you can’t win the tournament on Day One, but you can lose it. If you have to rely on Day Two to make up ground, it might be too late.”

Making his state debut will be Pequot Lakes’ Michael Oseland, who tied White for third with a 109 (73-36) at the section meet.

Pine River-Backus will compete in the Class 1A State Tournament at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker. No. 12-ranked Lyric Aulie is making her third state appearance. Last year, as an eighth grader, she placed 36th with a 36-hole 180 (94-86). She finished second in the Section 7-1A Tournament with a two-day 175. Teammate Lily Barchus was sixth individually with a 215 to advance to her first state appearance.

“Lyric has grown so much with just her overall game,” PRB head girls’ coach Mark Gonnion said. “She moves the ball along quite well in respect to her swing. She’s been very consistent with her swing. She is refined. She’s had a lot of meets where she’s battled it out for medalist.”

Gonnion believes if Aulie and Barchus can remain focused, they will be fine.

Bill Johnson / Picture Day Pro!

“Lily is going to have that first-year nervousness, but she is such a competitor,” Gonnion said. “She’s one of those kids who does everything you ask her to do. For her to get out there and play confidently. Lyric was named an All-State player and both girls are Academic All-State players. Our team was Academic All-State and these two girls were a pivotal part of that.”

Also at Becker will be Isaiah Aulie, making his third straight state appearance. The Pine River-Backus junior finished 28th last year with rounds of 81-80 for his two-day 161. Isaiah Aulie was sixth in the Section 7-1A meet with a 169 (81-88).