Detroit Lakes Girls Continue to Dominate Class AA; Yoemans Cruises to State Tourney Scoring Record

June 13, 2018 | 5 min.

 
 
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  JORDAN, Minn. – A day after setting a new Minnesota State High School League State Tournament record with a 9-under par 63, Red Wing junior Sophia Yoemans came back with a round of 66 Wednesday to set a new scoring record by earning medalist honors at 15-under par 129 at Ridges at Sand Creek.
 
Teammate Leah Herzog, who also broke the previous tournament record of 67 by shooting 66 Tuesday finished in second place after a second-round 71. But the effort by Red Wing’s top two players, however, was not enough to stop the girls from Detroit Lakes from collecting their third consecutive Class AA team title, posting a two-day total of 638 to earn a 26-shot victory as the Lakers have now won six of the last seven Class AA tournaments.
 
“We’ve had a formula all season long—if our fourth girl can break 90 and top three girls can break 80, we can beat anybody,” Detroit Lakes head coach Kris Smith said Wednesday. “We did it today—with the exception of a three-putt for 80 on the last hole.
 
“For two years now I’ve kept track of our scores for each event and compare it to our competition. Last year it was, ‘We can’t win unless we do something exceptional,’ and we did. This year we were kind of front runners and you need to deliver and they delivered.”
 
Following the team’s opening round Tuesday, Smith knew he wouldn’t have to provide much motivation for his team as his top four players of Maddie Herzog, Shelby Busker, Anna Cihak and McKenzie Mallow have taken on that task all season long.
 
“We had a meeting last night and I think it was pretty much dominated by our senior Maddie Herzog. She wanted everyone to play their best—we knew she was going to turn around and play her best and she had some moments today that she played really well,” Smith said. “She stumbled on a few holes. I walked with Shelby [Busker] for two days and I don’t think she’s ever hit it that well.
 
“These four girls were really determined to do it on their own and work their tails off and knew that they could do this,” Smith said of his top four players, which he refers to as ‘The Fab-Four.’ “All season long they were shooting anywhere in the 320’s. They all played very consistent and I’m proud of all six.”
 
On Wednesday the Lakers got a strong performance from Busker, who posted back-to-back rounds of 74 to finish third at 148. Cihak fired an even par 72 Tuesday and despite a tough back nine Wednesday, posted a round of 80 to finish sixth at 152.
 
Senior Maddie Herzog bounced back from her opening-round 80 by firing a 75 during her final high school round to put three Lakers inside the top-10 Wednesday. Herzog finished eighth at 155.
 
After the Lakers’ victory Wednesday the girls took the customary leap into the pond off the 18th green at Ridges at Sand Creek, a tradition started when current Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen was a member of the Detroit Lakes boys state championship team in 2008.
 
At last season’s Class AAA tournament at Bunker Hills Golf Club, Yoemans fired a final-round 71 to earn a share of medalist honors with Edina’s Joanna Kim at 2-over par 146 before Red Wing moved back to Class AA for the 2017-18 season.
 
Red Wing claimed the 2015 Class AA team title, putting an end to a three-year run by the Lakers before making the jump to Class AAA the following season. At the 2015 Class AA tournament Yoemans and Herzog finished 15th and 17th, respectively.
 
“I was trying not to think about my round yesterday and not compare my round today because it’s pretty hard to repeat a 63,” Yoemans said after nearly duplicating her first-round tally by shooting a 66 during Wednesday’s final round. “I just wanted to hit solid shots and I knew eventually the putts would drop.”
 
Sinking short birdie chance on the opening hole Wednesday, Yoemans picked up right where she left off during the opening round before posting her only bogey of the championship at the par-4 second.
 
She would rebound by carding birdie at the par-3 fifth and moved to 2-under for the day following a birdie at the seventh.
 
“I thought I had a really solid start. Some of my irons were a little sketchy and I missed a couple greens, but I was able to get up and down. After the turn I could easily lay up on a lot of the holes and play it easy, but I didn’t.”
 
Yoemans’ strong play continued to the back nine as she rolled in a birdie from four feet to get to 12-under for the tournament. Missing both greens at the 11th and 12th, Yoemans showcased her strong short game with up-and-downs to remain at 3-under for the round.
 
Rolling in birdie from 10 feet at the par-3 15th, Yoemans moved to 13-under for the championship and added a pair of birdies on the final two holes to set a new MSHSL tournament record, finishing at 15-under par 129 to claim medalist honors for the second consecutive season.
 
“Being that this is a different class is a little weird, but obviously my score is a lot better. I played a lot better than last year. I’m playing really well and next week I already have a couple big events, so I’m feeling pretty good going into that,” Yoemans said.
 
 
 
2018 MSHSL GIRLS CLASS AA GOLF TOURNAMENT
RIDGES AT SAND CREEK
JORDAN, MINN.
5,483 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
FINAL TEAM RESULTS

1. Detroit Lakes, 321-317—638
2. Marshall, 327-337—664
3. Red Wing, 329-336—665
4. Visitation, 349-332—681  
5. International Falls, 336-351—687
6. Breck, 356-342—698
7. Jordan, 362-358—720
8. Osakis, 393-381—774
 
 
FINAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1. Sophia Yoemans, Red Wing, 63-66—129
2. Leah Herzog, Red Wing, 66-71—137
3. Shelby Busker, Detroit Lakes, 74-74—148
4. Madi McGinty, Minnewaska, 80-70—150
5. Ally Tiedemann, Crookston, 80-71—151
6. Anna Cihak, Detroit Lakes, 72-80—152
7. Ava Wallerich, Lake City, 75-78—154
8. Maddie Herzog, Detroit Lakes, 80-75—155
9. Alyana Simonds, Breck, 81-75--156
10. Claire Orcutt, St. Clair-Loyola, 82-76—158
 
 
For complete tournament results go to: www.mshsl.org/mshsl/golfscores.asp?gender=Girls&class=AA

Contact Us

Contact Us

6550 York Avenue South, Suite 411 • Edina, MN 55435 • (952) 927-4643 • (800) 642-4405 • Fax: (952) 927-9642
© 2024 Minnesota Golf Association. All Rights Reserved