Bison qualify one for state, team misses by one

OGALLALA, Neb. — McCook makes state with its team score of 327 in Class B’s other two district golf tournaments on Monday.

However, B-4 was a monster at Ogallala’s West Winds Golf Course and the Bison fell one place short.

“It was not due to the lack of heart or effort but we had three teams who had a great day today,” coach Rick Haney confirmed. “All three teams who beat us had season bests with scores of 320 (Sidney), 321 (Scottsbluff) and 322 (Adams Central) respectively.”

The Bison sliced 11 strokes off their Ogallala Invite score (338) just four days earlier.

Senior Gabe Vielma did earn a return trip to the Class B state tourney, which will start one week from today at Quail Run Golf Course in Columbus.

Vielma shot a dazzling 35 through the first nine holes to match Scottsbluff’s Vincent Quijas for district-low honors.

Although he hit 43 on the back nine, Vielma still earned eighth place overall and those top 10 B-4 individuals all advance to state.

“Gabe Vielma had a very solid day in a great field of individuals, “ Haney observed.

Teammate Tanner Unger fired 39 through the front nine while delivering McCook’s next best round of 81.

Unger missed the B-4 Top 10 by two strokes, yet it can’t take away from his all-time best Bison performance.

“I was really proud to see him (Unger) have such a great round,” the coach proclaimed about what was also his final district meet as McCook’s golf coach. “He was only a couple of strokes away from placing. His efforts are commendable.”

McCook’s Brady Esch finished strong with a 39 on the back nine for 83 overall. He hit a season-best 78 in the Ogallala Invite last week.

Trevor Oberg’s 85 (43-42) completed that Bison team total which took fourth among 12 district teams.

Senior Hunter Hays fired an 87 in his final high school tournay — a 15-stroke improvement from the windy Ogallala tourney on Thursday.

“I know they (Esch and Oberg) were hoping for better scores, but they both did a super job given the pressure and stress of the day,” Haney said. “Hunter was battling a bad case of the shanks and he did a great job of battling to get his game back on track which helped the team.”

Sidney still prevailed thanks to the tandem of B-4 champ Connor Dormann (75) and Cole Westfall’s sizzling 77.

Scottsbluff’s 1-2 punch featured Quijas (76) and Joshua Wilson (78).

Adams Central was one team that did not play the West Winds last week.

Yet Patriots John Pohlson (77), Nolan Sughroue (78) and Nathan Sughroue (79) all reached the top 10.

They’ll join Vielma at Columbus next week for the two-day Class B state tourney.

Meanwhile, McCook’s remaining golfers can reflect on a season where they consistently reached the top halves of tournaments.

“It was a great group to coach and be around these last three months,” Haney concluded.

More details about Class B state will appear in an upcoming Gazette.

Teams: 1. Sidney 320, 2. Scottsbluff 321, 3. Adams Central 322, 4. McCook 327, 5. Cozad 347, 6. Alliance 350, 7. Gering 354, 8. Holdrege 366, 9. Ogallala 371, 10. Gothenburg 393, 11. Chadron 401, 12. Lexington 403.