Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2023 - 22

Cole Witherow
New Life Academy
MR. GOLF
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Emily
Brandt
Legacy
Christian
Academy
yler Schwamb helped guide Farmington to its third state tournament
appearance in school history in 2021, where he tied for 11th.
He returned as an individual last season and notched a 10th-place finish.
This season marks the fifth year of varsity golf for Alexandria's Braeden
Sladek, who posted back-to-back 12th-place finishes his seventh- and
eighth-grade seasons. He finished tied for 15th at the Class AAA championship
in 2021 and looks to improve on a 19th-place finish a year ago.
Senior Justin Luan, a three-year letter-winner at East Ridge High
School, is coming off a 29th-place finish at Bunker Hills in 2022. As an
eighth-grader in 2019, Luan tied for 35th before a 44th-place finish to cap
off his sophomore campaign.
Karson Patten finished his eighth-grade season tying for 29th in 2019.
In 2021, he helped Cloquet win its first Class AA team title (tying for 14th
at the Ridges at Sand Creek). Behind a final-round 72 last June, Patten
posted a sixth-place finish to close out his junior season.
As a junior, Southwest Christian's Jacob Ferrin made his first appearance
at the Class AA state championship in 2022, posting one of just six scores
below par for the tournament, to finish runner-up behind Sam Udovich.
Following a fourth-place finish during his sophomore season at New
Life Academy, Cole Witherow joined the Eagles in their first state tournament
appearance in program history in 2022. Witherow carded back-toback
rounds of 1-over 73 last June to earn medalist honors by one stroke.
MS. GOLF
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CLASS A
The Fertile-Beltrami boys earned a 30-stroke
victory in Class A in 2022, but this season the
Falcons will be without 2021 individual medalist
Rylin Petry. Even so, senior Ethan Finseth and
junior Masen Nowacki should provide enough
fire power to return Fertile-Beltrami back to
Pebble Creek Golf Club in June, searching for a
third straight team title.
New Life Academy senior Cole Witherow
earned medalist honors in 2022 and will be the
player to beat this season. He will be chased by
Martin County West junior Hunter Schmidt and
Fillmore Central senior Jake Fishbaugher.
This year's Class A state tournament on the
girls' side could mirror last year's battle between
Legacy Christian Academy and Lac Qui Parle
Valley, as both teams are down just one starter
from a year ago.
Emily Brandt capped off her sophomore season
with individual medalist honors, helping the
Lions to their fourth team title in nine seasons.
The duo of Molly Halvorson and Isabella Jacobs
posted a pair of top-10 finishes at the 2022 championship,
and the two will hope to carry Lac Qui
Parle Valley to a third team title in four years.
22
MINNESOTAGOLFER Spring 2023
inning her second Class AAA individual
title in 2022, Blaine's
Kathryn VanArragon leads the list of this year's Ms. Golf Minnesota
hopefuls. The University of St. Thomas commit entered the record books
by winning her first title as a seventh-grader in 2018. VanArragon posted
a 7-under 65 to open the championship last season, earning a twostroke
victory.
Along with eight top-five finishes last year, Eden Prairie's Rose
Baynes claimed three wins during her junior season, including the Lake
Conference Championship at Baker National Golf Course. Baynes placed
fourth at the Section 2AAA Championship to qualify for her second consecutive
Class AAA state tournament, finishing 35th.
Alexandria's Hannah Boraas, another four-year letter-winner with
four Class AAA state tourney appearances, helped the Cardinals to a second-consecutive
team title in 2022. Thanks to a final-round 74 at Bunker
Hills last June, Boraas notched her best finish at the event, placing 10th.
Grace Petzold made her first appearance as an individual for Providence
Academy as a seventh-grader in 2018 and improved on her performance
during her eighth-grade season, finishing tied for 65th. Petzold earned a
third-place finish in 2021, helping the Lions to a runner-up finish before
she claimed a ninth-place finish last season at Ridges at Sand Creek.
Jordan senior and Minnesota State University commit Victoria
Woytassek has a pair of Class AA state tournament appearances to her
credit-an 11th-place finish to conclude her junior season for the Jaguars,
before her fourth-place finish at the season finale a year ago.
Courtney Hershberger made her first appearance at the Class A state
championship as an eighth-grader in 2019 for Fillmore Central and followed
it with a top-22 finish in 2021. Improving by nine shots during the
final round of the tournament last season at Pebble Creek, Hershberger
tallied a third-place finish to lead the Falcons.
mngolf.org
PHOTOS: JEFF LAWLER
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2023

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