Blake Boys Take Early Lead in Class AA Championship; Cizek and Belisle Shoot 68

View full size image

By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org


  JORDAN, Minn. – With a third consecutive Minnesota State Boys High School Class AA Championship within reach, Blake will enter the final round with a slim two-stroke advantage over Detroit Lakes after firing a team score of 292 Tuesday at Ridges at Sand Creek.

The Bears entered the final round of the 2015 state tournament with a one-shot lead over Mankato East and would go on to share the team title with the Cougars before cruising to an eight-stroke victory over Holy Family a year ago.

“I thought we played pretty solid today and obviously very close, but I’m proud of our guys,” Blake head coach Marshall Hoiness said Tuesday. “Tomorrow we have to start over and win the day—it’s that close. It’s going to be fun and we’re looking forward to getting some goose bumps over it. The guys are ready and I’m hoping that we can go a little lower.

“Hats off to Detroit Lakes and Holy Family; there were some good scores out there and it wasn’t easy.”

The Bears were led by 2015 individual champion Reece Sanders who carded a 1-under par 71 thanks to a birdie on the final hole to begin the tournament Tuesday.

Defending individual champion Derek Hitchner, who broke a tournament record with an opening-round 65 a year ago, carded a 1-over par 73 with a bogey on the last, while senior Ian Murray contributed with a 73 as well.

“Derek [Hitchner] didn’t end the way he wanted to, but he hit the ball well today and just couldn’t get the putts to fall. A 73 for him isn’t anything that special, but he’s playing with a lot of confidence coming in," Hoiness said. "Reece Sanders played awesome—hit a lot of fairways and greens and birdied the last to get to 1-under.

“That 73 that Ian Murray got us was huge,” Hoiness said. “He was a couple over after four and really battled back. He didn’t have his best stuff, but found it later in the round and finished it off nicely for us.”

Lincoln Cizek paced the Fire on a sweltering day in Jordan Tuesday, firing a 4-under par 68 to finish the opening round in a share of the individual lead with Red Wing’s Cecil Belisle.

Cizek, who finished tied for eighth at 149 at last year’s event, got off to a cool start with back-to-back bogeys at the fifth and sixth holes before rolling in birdies over his next four consecutive holes to quickly move to 2-under.

Converting birdie at the par-4 14th, Cizek would get to 3-under before taking bogey at the par-5 15th. He would finish the day by reaching the par-5 18th in two, rolling in his shot inside of five feet where he would make eagle to finish in a tie atop the leaderboard with a 68.

“I made a lot of putts today. I don’t think I made one inside of 10 feet—they were all 20-plus,” Cizek said following his round Tuesday. “The front nine was a grind—I didn’t strike the ball well at all.

“I was trying to get over the nerves and not think about it and just play my game,” he said of playing in his third state championship as a junior. “I tried not to make it more than it is. I play this course all the time and I don’t want to think about it more than I have to and psych myself out.”

Following a par on the long par-3 11th, a hole that has given him trouble numerous times in the past, Cizek said he felt that he was in position to make a move with eight holes to play.

“I never par that hole—ever. That set the tone and showed me that I was in control, everything went smooth and ball striking was a lot better after that,” he said.

Looking for another strong finish following his 36-hole score of 147 last year to earn him a share of third place, Belisle rolled in a pair of early birdies at the fourth and seventh holes to turn at 34 before sinking another birdie at the par-5 10th from 10 feet to move to 3-under for the round.

Belisle’s approach at the 13th spun back to five feet where he converted birdie to get to 4-under but he gave back a stroke on the ensuing hole with a bogey. He bounced right back by sinking birdie at the 15th from 12 feet and would par his way into the clubhouse with a share of the lead at 68.

“Mentally I thought I was really good today. Nothing got in my head and if I hit a bad shot I just walked up and hit it again,” Belisle said after his round Tuesday. “This is the best I’ve swung it in a long time. I putted well and thought the stroke was very solid.

“I'm going to eat some food, drink a lot of water and go to bed early,” Belisle joked about his plans following his round Tuesday. “I hope to keep the momentum going tomorrow.”

Holy Family’s Jack Michel fired a 3-under par 69 and will enter Wednesday’s final round tied for third along with Minnewaska’s Esten Stensrud and Morris’ Jacob Zosel, one shot off the lead.

The final round of the 2017 Minnesota State Boys High School Class AA Championship is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at Ridges at Sand Creek.



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


TUESDAY’S TEAM RESULTS
1. Blake – 292
2. Detroit Lakes – 294
3. Holy Family – 295
4. Hermantown – 305
5. St. Cloud Cathedral – 310
6. Lake City – 313
T7. New Ulm – 327
T7. Blue Earth Area – 327


TUESDAY’S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
T1. Lincoln Cizek, Holy Family, 35-33—68
T1. Cecil Belisle, Red Wing, 34-34—68
T3.Jack Michel, Holy Family, 32-37—69
T3. Esten Stensrud, Minnewaska, 36-33—69
T3. Jacob Zosel, Morris Area, 36-33—69
T6. Carson Stepka, LeSueur-Henderson, 34-36—70
T6. Hunter Fjerstad, Byron, 34-36—70
T8. Luke Alexander, Rochester Lourdes, 35-36—71
T8. Issak Cihak, Detroit Lakes, 35-36—71
T8. Reece Sanders, Blake, 36-35—71
T11. Brandon Nelson, Litchfield, 36-36—72
T11. Derek O’Brien, Hermantown, 37-35—72
T11. Wyatt Blomseth, Detroit Lakes, 36-36—72


For complete tournament results go to: www.mshsl.org/mshsl/golfscores.asp?gender=Boys&class=AA