Belisle Claims Class AA Individual Crown; Blake Cruises to Three-Peat

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  JORDAN, Minn. – When Carter Haley and Andrew Israelson shared medalist honors at the 2014 Minnesota State Boys High School Class AA Championship, they did so at the end of their sophomore season. In 2015, Blake’s Reece Sanders captured the individual title with a four-shot victory as a sophomore, while Sanders’ teammate Derek Hitchner cruised to an 11-stroke victory to wrap up his sophomore season a year ago.

Carding a 1-under par 71 Tuesday during the final round of the 2017 Class AA tournament at Ridges at Sand Creek, Red Wing’s Cecil Belisle earned medalist honors—as a sophomore.

“I was thinking a little too much before the round today,” Belisle admitted Wednesday, “I’ve never been in this situation before and possibly having the state championship under my belt—I was just nervous and tried to stay positive.”

Belisle's mental game was tested immediately on the first hole when his tee shot found the left fairway bunker. After laying up, Belisle left himself with an uphill putt but left it five feet short. He would go on to save par, but found trouble once again from the tee on the ensuing hole.

After pushing his tee shot into the water right of the fairway, Belisle stuck his third shot inside of five feet for a spectacular par save to remain even for the day. Belisle hit a poor third shot at the par-5 7th but sank his birdie putt from 35 feet to fall below par for the round and turn at 5-under for the championship.

Playing a steady final nine holes, he carded seven consecutive pars before burying his tee shot in the bunker left of the green at the par-3 17th. Unable to get up-and-down, Belisle answered by chipping within three feet on the final hole to tap in for birdie and finish at 5-under 139.

“It feels good,” Belisle said with a big metallic smile Tuesday, “I’m sure it will sink in more when I get home or tomorrow. This gives me high expectations for the next two years. I plan on winning again next year."

Averaging around 73 during the high school season, Belisle said he had mixed feelings about his chances in Jordan this week.

“If you shoot 73 either day out here you’re probably not going to win,” he said.

Belisle earned a share of the lead after posting a 68 in steamy conditions Tuesday before contending with stronger winds during the final round Wednesday.

“I didn’t think the wind was horrible and it wasn’t as hot so guys weren’t going to get tired really fast,” Belisle said. “I asked my coach what he thought the number was today and he said 69, so that’s what I was shooting for.”

Led by defending individual champion Derek Hitchner’s final round 70, the Blake Bears notched their third consecutive team title Tuesday, shooting a 36-hole 587 to beat Holy Family by 14 shots.

It’s the first successful three-peat since Wayzata won three consecutive Class AAA titles from 2009 to 2011 and Blake's 36-hole score is the lowest team total since 1987, when the tournament changed scoring by taking the best four scores instead of three. Blake set the previous mark at last year's event by shooting a team total of 589.

“We got solid scores today, even from our No. 6 player [Sam Gelb] who got us on the board early with a 76, which was huge because obviously Reece [Sanders] was struggling and didn’t have his best stuff but when one guy struggles this season, we’ve had another to pick him up,” Blake head coach Marshall Hoiness said after his team’s third consecutive team title Wednesday.

“We erased Day One and treated today as the first round and for the seniors, put into perspective that this is the last 18-hole round at the state tournament and they pulled it out and played awesome.”

As heavy favorites entering the tournament this week, Blake saw themselves with a slim two-stroke lead entering Wednesday’s final round with Detroit Lakes and Holy Family within striking distance.

“I expect so much out of this team—maybe even too much—but I always tell them that I have more confidence in them than they have in themselves. For some of the bigger tournaments we played in this year, they weren’t the players that I knew from last year because they are so talented.

“When we got to sections we started to put it all together and started to peak. This is a tight-knit group, which is huge and this win is big. I knew we had some great competition and they were coming at us hard.”

Hitchner posted a tournament-record 65 to open last year, running away with the individual title, but posted a frustrating round of 1-over par 73 to begin this year’s championship.

During the final round Wednesday, Hitchner rolled in three birdies on the front nine before taking a bogey at the ninth and would play the final nine holes at even par to finish in a tie for fifth at 1-under 143.

“I’m really excited for us to three-peat. That was our goal from the beginning of the season so I’m glad that I could help the team. Obviously the last year for Ian [Murray] and Reece—we’ve been together for five or six years and have a great team dynamic. It’s going to be a lot different next year.

“I putted better than yesterday. I probably hit the ball yesterday—I hit 16 greens, but today I just converted on more opportunities on the front nine. Played okay on the back, just couldn’t pile on any more birdies,” Hitchner said. “I don’t like to have a stiff game plan in my mind; I like to approach each shot and figure out what to do from there and stay in the present.”

Providence Academy senior Paul Stankey posted a 4-under par 68 Wednesday to finish in a tie for second with Litchfield’s Brandon Nelson and 18-hole co-leader Lincoln Cizek at 3-under par 141.

Hill-Murray’s Ben Warian carded a 36-hole score of even par 72 to finish tied for seventh—as a freshman.



2017 MN STATE BOYS HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP
RIDGES AT SAND CREEK
JORDAN, MINN.
6,657 YARDS, PAR 72


FINAL TEAM RESULTS
1. Blake, 292-295—587
2. Holy Family, 295-306—601
3. Detroit Lakes, 294-311—605
4. Hermantown, 305-311—616
5. St. Cloud Cathedral, 310-321—626
6. Lake City, 313-317—630
7. New Ulm, 327-331—658
8. Blue Earth Area, 327-339—666


FINAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1. Cecil Belisle, Red Wing, 68-71—139
T2. Brandon Nelson, Litchfield, 72-69—141
T2. Paul Stankey, Providence Academy, 73-68—141
T2. Lincoln Cizek, Holy Family, 68-73—141
T5. Derek Hitchner, Blake, 73-70—143
T5. Hunter Fjerstad, Byron, 70-73—143
T7. Carson Stepka, LeSueur-Henderson, 70-74—144
T7. Jacob Zosel, Morris Area, 69-75—144
T7. Ben Warian, Hill-Murray, 73-71—144
T10. Ian Murray, Blake, 73-72—145
T10. Esten Stensrud, Minnewaska, 69-76—145


For complete results go to: