High School Golf: Patriots' Stone tied for 4th after Class 2A 1st round

State tournament

Pequot Lakes' Alex Stone is sitting fourth in Class 2A girls and Brainerd's Gavin Metz is six strokes behind the leader in 3A boys following the opening rounds of the state tournaments.

JORDAN-Alex Stone, playing in her in fifth state tournament, is on a pace to match or beat her best state showing of last year and could have easily been in contention or tied for the lead following Tuesday's opening round.

She carded a 5-over 41 on the front nine and fired an even-par 36 on the back in the Class 2A girls state tournament at the Ridges at Sand Creek. Her 77 has her tied for fourth place, four strokes behind first-round leader Ashlyn Guggisberg of Minnewaska heading into Day Two.

"She probably should have been three or four strokes better," said Pequot Lakes head coach Jon Dale. "She was only one over (on the front nine) going into the eighth hole where she hit a great drive. Then she missed her chip approach and wound up with a double bogey. That led to an errant tee shot on the ninth that got into the hazard and led to another double bogey for a 41 on the front side."

Stone regrouped on the back nine and parred every hole except the 14th when her putt lipped the hole for a bogey. She birdied the 18th to finish the back nine at even par.

"She could have hung her head after the front nine, but she fought back into contention," said Dale. "Her only flaw on the back side was when she lipped a par putt on 14, but she got the stroke back when she birdied the final hole.

"The conditions were really tough because of the wind, but the back side was more sheltered and not as windy.

"She was solid all day and has a good attitude going into (Wednesday)," said Dale. "She could easily be tied for first."

Last year Stone fired a fourth-place 150 with rounds of 78 and 72.

Wadena-Deer Creek senior McKayla Woods turned in a first-round 106 that has her tied for 79th. She carded 53s on both the front and back nines in her first state tournament appearance.

Woods tees off at noon Wednesday on the back nine and Stone goes off 12:36 p.m. on the first tee.

Class 3A

COON RAPIDS-Gavin Metz achieved his goal for the first day of the Class 3A state tournament Tuesday.

The Warrior sophomore carded a 3-over-par 75 at Bunker Hills Golf Club that has him six strokes behind first-round leader Caleb VanArragon of Blaine who came in 3-under par-68. Metz's score has him tied for 21st after the first day.

Metz entered the tournament with a goal of shooting 75 or better. Last year as a freshman, in his first state appearance, he placed 77th with rounds of 83-84 for a 167.

Tuesday, he started with a 1-over par 37 on the West Course and then carded a two-over 38 on the East course.

"He was very steady today and, aside from a double bogey on the 18th hole, he had a great round," said Brainerd head coach Brian Wallace. "His putting was key for him today."

Metz started the day with three pars, birdied the fourth hole and made par three more times before finishing the West Course with a pair of bogeys.

"Early on, he was putting himself in position to make some birdies-he made one of three high-quality attempts at birdie," said Wallace. "He was making putts to save par when he needed to. He got unlucky with a bad bounce on his approach to the eighth hole on the West Course, but overall he played very good."

Metz parred the first five holes as he moved on to start the second nine on the East Course. He birdied the sixth hole before finishing with a bogey, par and double bogey.

"The last two holes on both sides are very challenging, said Wallace. "It was pretty windy and that may have affected his last couple of holes. It's just the way golf is.

"He kept his nerves under control. He has matured very much since he was down here last year and was much more in control."

Metz tees off at 8:06 a.m. Wednesday on Day Two on the West Course.

Class 1A

BECKER-In the Class 1A boys state tournament at Pebble Creek Golf Club, Pillager's Brady Enneking and Nate Brasel from Pine River-Backus each carded 85s that have them tied with four others for 32nd place. They are sitting 17 strokes behind leader Tommy Bratten of Blooming Prairie who came in with a 4-under 68.

Enneking, a senior, started the day with a 39 on the front nine before stumbling on the back nine with a 46. Last year as a junior, he shot an opening-round 86 and finished tied for 30th with a two-day 167.

Brasel, a senior, fired a more consistent 43 on the front and 42 on the back. Last year as a junior, he opened with 92 and came back with 89 on the second day to tie for 59th.

PR-B's Brady Raph, a freshman in his second state tournament, is currently tied for 42nd with a first-round 45-42--87. As an eighth-grader, he tied for 39th with an 82 opening round and two-day total of 171.

Raph will tee off first of area golfers Wednesday with a 7:39 tee time while Brasel and Enneking are scheduled for 7:48 a.m.

Class 3A

First-round leader: Caleb VanArragon (Blaine) 33-36--69

Brainerd result: 21(t)-Gavin Metz 38-37--75

Class 2A

First-round leader: Ashlyn Guggisberg (Minnewaska) 37-36--73

Pequot Lakes result: 4(t)-Alex Stone 41-36--77

Wadena-Deer Creek result: 79(t)-McKayla Woods 53-53--106

Class 1A

First-round leader: Tommy Bratten (Blooming Prairie) 63-32--68

Pillager result: 32(t)-Brady Enneking 39-46--85

Pine River-Backus results: 32(t)-Nate Brasel 43-42--85, 42(t)-Brady Raph 45-42--87

Next: Brainerd's Gavin Metz in Class 3A state tournament at Bunker Hills Golf Club, Coon Rapids, 8:06 a.m. Wednesday

Brady Enneking of Pillager (7:48 a.m.) and Brady Raph (7:39 a.m.) and Nate Brasel (7:48 a.m.) of Pine River-Backus in Class 1A state tournament final round at Pebble Creek Golf Club, Becker, Wednesday

Alex Stone of Pequot Lakes (12:36 p.m.) and McKayla Woods of Wadena-Deer Creek (noon) in Class 2A state tournament at the Ridges at Sand Creek, Jordan, Wednesday