PIERRE – The golf battle between Aberdeen Central and Mitchell continued on Tuesday during the Pierre Invitational.
The two squads finished with identical 327 team scores. It marks the third time the squads have finished first and second at meets, with each claiming one title.
“I foresee that happening quite often,” said Central coach Kim Zimmerman.
The Kernels won the season-opening event at Harrisburg, before the Golden Eagles edged Mitchell by one stroke in the second tourney of the spring.
“Our teams are very balanced,” Zimmerman said. “They did beat us quite handily down in Harrisburg the first meet of the year, but after that, last week and today is what I kind of see in the forecast as far as us matching up with them.”
Mattie Weidenbach of Harrisburg won a coin flip for medalist honors over Quinn Dannenbring of Mitchell.
Central’s Olivia Braun was sixth with a 79, and teammate Emma Dohrer was seventh with an 80. Kyley Wirebaugh finished 17th with an 83, and Leah Gough was 20th with an 85.
Zimmerman said he was pleased with the scores as golfers had to deal with rain, wind and cool weather.
“It was a pretty good day considering the adverse weather conditions,” Zimmerman said. “I told these guys before they went out today, it was going to be a gut check. It was really, really tough.”
Zimmerman also expects the scores to drop once his golfers actually get a chance to have some outdoor practices.
“I think you have to be encouraged by the fact that we’re putting up the scores we are basically without practicing outside,” Zimmerman said, “ultimately, because that’s what it boils down to.”
That will change today as the Golden Eagles will head to the course for their first official outside practice of the season.
Central was scheduled to host its own invitational on Thursday, but that will not take place. Instead, the squad will head to Huron for tournament that will also include, Brookings, Huron, Mitchell and Pierre.
“At least we’re golfing some place,” Zimmerman said. “It’s not our invite like we had hoped for, but we’re golfing some place so that’s a good thing.”
Team Points: Mitchell 327, Aberdeen Central 327, Pierre 339, Rapid City Stevens 343, Yankton 343, Sioux Falls Lincoln 351, Harrisburg 354, Spearfish 358, Watertown 359, Sioux Falls Roosevelt 373, Brookings 376, O’Gorman 383, Sioux Falls Washington 392, Brandon Valley 392, Sioux Falls Jefferson 399.
Top 15 Individual Results
1, Mattie Weidenbach, Harrisburg, 77 (won coin flip); 2, Quinn Dannenbring, Mitchell, 77; 3, Tanna Phares, Rapid City Stevens, 77; 4, Ellia Homstad, Yankton, 78; 5, Alison Kennedy, Spearfish, 78; 6, Olivia Braun, Aberdeen Central, 79; 7, Emma Dohrer, Aberdeen Central, 80; 8, Allison Meyerink, Mitchell, 80; 9, Riley Zebroski, Watertown 81; 10, Hadley Hart, Pierre, 81; 11, Elsie Larson, Yankton, 81; 12, Sara Sudenga, Sioux Falls Roosevelt, 82; 13, Madilyn Brakke, Pierre, 83; 14, Maddie Childs, Yankton, 83; 15, Miyah Foerster, Brookings, 83.
Other Aberdeen Central golfers: 17, Kyley Wirebaugh, 83; 20, Leah Gough, 85; 40, Chloe Vikander, 92; 49, Morgan Jones, 94.
