The team won by 20 strokes, enabling its advance to the state tournament.
After winning districts last week in Clinton, Mo., the boys moved on to face the top teams in the district. Their focused playing and knowledgeable approach to the game contributed to a successful conclusion for all four players.
Senior Will Echelmeier placed first individually overall with a total score of 72, his brother, freshman Matt Echelmeier, was close behind at 78, freshman Jack Knoesel finished with 81 and sophomore Jackson Dubinski ended with 82.
The match was played at Millwood Country Club, foreign turf for the Bruins. Part of their success is attributed to the way in which the team tactfully adapted to an unknown green.
“We had a practice round yesterday which helped a lot,” Dubinski said. “Just getting to know the course and where to hit the ball, and knowing the slopes on the greens and layout, helped a lot.”
Will Echelmeier struggled with, but conquered, the tee ball, a place in the match where the course was particularly narrow. However, the team’s winnings cannot be contributed only to adept adjustment.
“We have a lot of mentally tough guys, and I think that really helped today,” Will Echelmeier said. “In golf, things don’t always go your way and you have to just continue to do the best you can on the next shot.”
The swift skill of the boys golf team is not only strong, but consistently capable and enduringly triumphant. The team will continue to hone its technique in all dimensions of the sport.
“We got our job done today. I mean the scores weren’t super, but we shot what we needed to win,” Knoesel said. “[In preparation to win state,] we will practice a lot, hit balls, chip, putt, and just work on all the aspects of the game.
The Bruins play in state two in two Mondays, May 14, in Bolivar, Mo.
By Abbie Powers
