Boys Golf: Stoxen advances to state with 4th-place finish

COLD SPRING — Erik Stoxen fired a second-round 75 to finish fourth and advance to the Class 3A State Tournament after the final round of the Section 8-3A Tournament Wednesday, June 2, at Rich-Springs Golf Club.

Stoxen’s two-day 147 placed him three shots behind second place, which ended in a tie between Moorhead’s Ian Simonich and Sartell’s Logan Hamak. Alexandria sophomore Braeden Sladek won the section title with a two-day 140 to lead the Cardinals to the section team title.

“Erik looked as solid as ever,” Warrior head coach Brian Wallace said. “He didn’t hit a ton of fairways, but he didn’t miss them by much. He was able to play really good shots into the greens. The greens that he didn’t hit he was able to get up and down. He just did everything right.”

STOXEN: Warriors Athlete of Week: With a new putter, Stoxen is even par so far Erik Stoxen changed his putter just in time for the Section 8-3A tournament.
Stoxen fired nines of 37-38 for his 75 Wednesday. He recorded two birdies on each nine to secure his second trip to state.

The top team and the top five individuals not on that team advance to the Class 3A state tournament June 15-16 at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids.

That meant Brainerd senior Cole Proctor was one place away from advancing. Proctor fired a two-day 157 to finish eighth. Proctor posted two birdies, one on each nine, to fire an 82 Wednesday.

PROCTOR: Boys Golf: Brainerd’s Proctor pulls off a 2nd place The Brainerd Warriors hosted the Classic Invite at The Classic at Madden's Resort.
“It’s very disappointing for me as a coach to see him get so close,” Wallace said. “It reminded me of my own daughter who was very close and missed it. I know just how he feels and it’s really hard to swallow. He had basically one terrible hole and without that, he qualifies. That turned him sideways for a while, but he was able to overcome it for the most part, but one bad hole can knock you out of that qualifying position and that’s what happened.

“We’re going to miss him as a senior. He’s a great kid and unfortunately, we’re not going to get to see him compete at the state level.”

Evan Quinn finished tied for 17th with his two-day 162. The senior fired a second-round 80. Turner Person shot an 89 Wednesday for his two-day 165 that landed him in 23rd place.

FIRST ROUND: Boys Golf: Stoxen’s even-par has Warriors tied for 1st Brainerd competes in Section 8-3A tournament.
“What we had to do today, was exactly what we did yesterday and we would have been right in the mix,” Wallace said. “For whatever reason, we didn’t have the mental side of the game to translate to the physical side. That’s golf. There is not much you can do about it. The result wasn’t what we were looking for.

“I guess I’ve been saying the whole season that if we could play up to our potential individually we can play with anybody in our section. We were one guy away yesterday and today we just fell apart. We had that potential. It’s just we have to overcome the mental demons and when we do that we’ll be successful.”

Team scores: 1-Alexandria 611, 2-Moorhead 612, 3-Brainerd 625, 4-Sartell 638, 5-Buffalo 659, 6-Bemidji 666,

Individual medalist: Braeden Sladek (Alex) 70-71 -- 141

Brainerd results: 4-Erik Stoxen 72-75 -- 147, 8t-Cole Proctor 75-82 -- 157, 17t-Evan Quinn 82-80 162, 23t-Turner Person 76-89 -- 165, 33-Max Holmstrom 87-83 -- 170, 34t-Dawson Ringler 85-86 -- 171

Next: Class 3A State tournament at Bunker Hills, Coon Rapids, June 15-16.