It was a typical ending to the 2018 Nebraska Girls' High School Golf Season, as weather wreaked havoc on the State Championships at all three sites. The NSAA Girls' Golf Championships at Norfolk Country Club (Class A), Quail Run Golf Course in Columbus (Class B) and River's Edge Golf Club in North Platte (Class C) were all shortened to 18 holes after miserable weather and unplayable golf courses disrupted the final rounds. With 18 holes completed on the first day though, new team and individual champions were crowned in all classes. Keep scrolling to see who brought home the hardware.
Class A
Class A was the first site to determine champions, as the Final Round never even started. Heavy rains at Norfolk Country Club made for a saturated golf course, and with more rain expected during the second round, day two was cancelled and awards were handed out. The team to beat proved tough to beat, as Lincoln Southwest (@lsw_golf) capped a perfect year, in which they won every tournament they played. The Silver Hawks cruised to win by 17 strokes with a 341 (+53) total, capturing their second team title in four years.
Freshman Kate Strickland, the 2018 Nebraska Girls' Amateur Champion, led the way again for Southwest, finishing third with a round of 77 (+5). After a tough start, Strickland fell one stroke short of winning her eighth individual title of the year, missing out on a chance at a final round comeback. She actually rolled in a birdie on her second hole to get to get to 1-under, but over a tough stretch at Norfolk Country Club, she played her next seven holes in 7-over for a front nine 42 (+6). A great bounce-back followed though, as Strickland made a couple more birdies on the back nine to come in with a 35 (-1), just a stroke back of two players tied at the top.
Two more Silver Hawks cracked the Top 15 to earn a medal and help their team to the title, including another freshman Neely Adler, who shot 85 (+13) to finish in a tie for eighth. Sophomore Sadie Steele was just a couple strokes back in a tie for 12th at 87 (+15). Junior Brynn Sundquist contributed a round of 92 (+20) to finish tied for 25th, while sophomore Ella Ford finished T-58 after a 108 (+36). With this young core, the Silver Hawks could be the team to beat for the next few years.
Kaitlyn Hanna of Omaha Westside made history with her round of 76 (+4). She tied with Omaha Marian's Jalea Culliver, a senior, for the first round lead, and when the final round was cancelled, the two were named co-champions. Hanna is the first freshman to win the Class A title since 1985, when Angie Wilson of Lincoln Southeast won her first of four straight titles. Hanna finished third to Strickland at the Girls' Amateur this summer, but won this battle. Both Hanna and Culliver were looking forward to breaking the tie during the final round, but in her fourth and final state tournament, Culliver's gold was a fitting end to a great career. The senior improved every year in the tournament, and followed her T-4 finish last year with the title this year.
North Platte might have been the only team with any chance of catching Southwest during the final round, as the Bulldogs finished runner-up at 358 (+70), seven strokes clear of third place Millard West. Sophomore Baylee Steele led the Bulldogs with a round of 83 (+11) to finish fifth, her second straight Top 5 showing. Aspen Luebbe of Columbus also finished in the Top 5 individually, shooting an 81 (+9) to take fourth.
Class B
It was merely a formality and it only took 18 holes this time for Omaha Duchesne Academy (@duchesnegolf22) to win a fourth straight team title in Class B. The Cardinals matched a Class B record with the four consecutive titles, last done by Chadron from 1981 to 1984. Duchesne won each of those titles by double-digit strokes, and notched their second straight win by 30 strokes. The final round actually began and was in full swing on a cold and rainy day at Quail Run Golf Course in Columbus, before play was called late in the morning due to unplayable course conditions. Otherwise, the Cardinals may have reached their feat in 2016, when they won by a whopping 56 strokes.
It was another dominant win for Duchesne, as the Cardinals took three of the top four spots individually. Senior Anna Boor, who is on a short list of players to win a team title each of her four years, added an individual title to her trophy case. Boor produced the best round of the championship by three strokes, a 74 (+2). Boor played her final six holes in 1-under par to build her overnight lead, an important move with the final round already in question. It's the third straight medal for Boor, who finished fourth in 2016 and sixth in 2017. Boor also is the fourth on that short list of players to win four team titles in any class, joining Chadron's Susan Roll and Robbin Muller, who were teammates on those 1981-1984 teams, and Omaha Marian's Jordan Rearick, who was on the 2007-2010 title-winning teams.
Junior Lauren Goertz wasn't far behind, earning her third straight Class B medal with a third place finish at 80 (+8). Sophomore Bridget Duffy kept the top of the leaderboard packed with Cardinals, shooting a round of 82 (+10) to finish fourth. Two more Cardinals finished just outside of the Top 15, including senior Karolyn LaRose at 94 (+22) in 16th, and junior Katherine Speer at 96 (+24). The Cardinals will have to replace Boor and LaRose next year, but will have a chance to pass Chadron with a fifth straight title, and are two shy of the All-Class record of six straight, set by Omaha Marian (2005-2010).
Gering, one of the deepest teams in Class B, pulled off an impressive feat with four players finishing in the Top 15 to earn medals. The Bulldogs finished runner-up with a 360 (+72), 17 strokes clear of third place Elkhorn. Sophomore Madilyne Kleich-Schlaepfer led the way with a round of 86 (+14) to finish seventh. Juniors Alexandria Thurman-Boswell and Avery Mitchell and senior Megan Maser also took home medals. With three of those four returning next year, Gering could be the biggest threat to end Duchesne's streak.
Aurora's Danica Badura grabbed her third straight medal, finishing runner-up for a second straight year. It was a disappointing finish for the junior, who had her eyes on gold, but didn't get the chance to close it out in the final round. Though she'll have one more chance to capture the Class B title next year. After a rocky start, in which she was 4-over on her first three holes, Badura righted the ship and eventually played her final 11 holes in 1-under to shoot 77 (+5), three strokes back of Boor. Scottsbluff freshman Emily Krzyzanowski rounded out the Top 5 with a 12-over 84.
Class C
Another dynasty has emerged in Class C, with Ogallala chasing down a three-peat of its own. The Indians had to share the title this year though, as the final round was cancelled and first round results left Ogallala and Cozad tied at the top. Both teams finished with totals of 390 (+106) in very difficult conditions at River's Edge Golf Club in North Platte. The final round started in similar conditions, but deteriorated throughout the day and play was suspended in the afternoon and the final results reverted back to the first round. For Ogallala, it's a third straight title, which is tied for fourth all-time in all classes, and matches the Class C record, set by Minden (2002-2004) and also matched by Boone Central (2009-2011). For Cozad, it's the second team title, but first in Class C. The Haymakers won the 1987 Class B Championship.
Junior Harley Hiltibrand took the reigns for the Indians, and looked as though she'd cruise to the individual title. However, after a long first round, she finished 5-over on her final three holes to drop back into a tie for first. Hiltibrand's 83 (+12) tied her with Mitchell's Kenzey Kanno at the top. It's a third straight medal for Hiltibrand, and a first individual title to add to her three team titles. The win was a long-time coming for the senior Kanno, who once held the first round lead as a freshman in 2015. She finished T-8 that year, and followed with T-10 and 10th place finishes the next two years.
Hiltibrand was the only player to medal for Ogallala, which will return four of their five players next year when the Indians make a run at four-straight. Two Haymakers came away with medals, led by senior Abigail Cornelius, who finished in fourth at 87 (+16). Cornelius adds her name to the list of players to earn four straight medals, which included two Top 5 finishes. Freshman Lynzi Becker shot a 90 (+19) to snag her first medal with a T-7 finish.
Kanno's Mitchell squad finished in third, not far behind at 395 (+111), while Kearney Catholic was also in the mix in fourth at 397 (+113). Heartland freshman Elizabeth Mestl was just a stroke back in third in the individual race, shooting an 84 (+13) in her debut. Freshman Brook Diekemper of West Point-Beemer and senior Kailey Johnson of Broken Bow rounded out the Top 5, each with rounds of 88 (+17).
Check out the NSAA website below for more information on the state tournaments for each class. Follow @NebJuniorGolf for everything junior golf in the state, and visit nebraskajuniorgolf.com for competitive opportunities next summer.