Bison golf girls road warriors in opening events

The McCook High School girls golf team got a very ambitious start to the 2012 fall season.

The Bison traveled to Omaha, then to Sidney, then back home in two days for a pair of invitational meets against tough competition.

McCook opened the season Monday, Aug. 20, at the Elkhorn South Invitational at the Pacific Springs Golf Course in west Omaha. The Bison girls finished in the middle of the pack in a field dominated by some of the state's top Class A and Class B teams.

BISON COACH Randy Ryser took his team to the other end of the state to Sidney and stayed overnight Monday, then hit the Hillside Golf Course Tuesday morning for the Sidney Invite. McCook shot a 365 and tied Gering for second place, just three shots behind team champion Scottsbluff. Host Sidney was fourth with a 381.

Coach Ryser liked the tough test to start the season, but he thought his girls may have ran out of gas late in Tuesday's event after two straight days of golf and all the miles traveled for both meets.

"I like the back-to-back because eventually you're going to have to do that at the state tournament (if the Bison qualify)," Ryser said. "I like to do that once during the season, at least. It just gives the kids a little confidence that they can prepare mentally two days in a row."

McCook had two individual medalists at Sidney. Junior Megan Vetrovsky carded an 18-hole score of 81 strokes to place second, one stroke behind individual champion Jordan York of Scottsbluff.

Kaylee Samway, a senior, finished fourth with an 83, just one shot behind Kaitlyn Krzyzanowski of Gering.

Bison junior Breanna Redl shot a 94, finishing four strokes out of the top 10, and senior Jacqui Hager carded a 106.

In the Elkhorn meet Monday, the teams competed in a best-ball format. Each school represented took their low four individual scores on each hole to determine an 18-hole total. Ryser only entered four players in Monday's event.

"That put us a little bit behind the eight ball," Coach Ryser said. "Had they scored conventionally we would have finished fourth."

In the best-ball format, McCook came home with an 18-hole team score of 343 strokes. Bison individual scores included Megan Vetrovsky's 76, Kaylee Samway with an 80, Breanna Redl with an 86 and Jacqui Hager with a 101.

Coach Ryser said he was pleased with first-year golfer Karlie Dueland, who shot a 129 at Sidney in her first prep competition.

THE BISON will enjoy the home-course advantage Friday, Aug. 24, at the McCook Invitational at the Heritage Hills Golf Course. The 18-hole event is set to begin at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start.

Teams expected to enter include Southwest, Dundy County-Stratton, Holdrege, Lexington and Minden.