Kindred leads both meets

CARRINGTON — After Day 1, Kindred is leading the team race at the North Dakota Class B state girls golf meet.

The Vikings scored a 358 on Tuesday at the CrossRoads Golf Course and lead Hazen by five strokes.

“It really was a hard day,” Kindred coach Mike Podolak said. “We got rained on a quarter of the day, but the team really responded well. We got a five-shot lead. I told the girls that they had to be very patient and hang in there. They just had to survive the day.”

Kindred junior Laura Podolak paced the Vikings, carding an 83. She is tied with Jinny Miller of Hazen for third.

Haily Abel of Larimore and Olivia Knutson of Hatton-Northwood lead the individual competition after each shot an 81.

“We know that we can do better tomorrow,” Mike Podolak said. “The girls have to understand that it isn’t the final day of the state tournament. It’s just another day of golf. They can’t let the expected results get in the way with how they are going to play.”

South Border, paced by Ali Lehr’s 85, is in fifth. Napoleon is three strokes back in sixth with Shania Gross’s 91 leading the Imperials.

Linton-Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock’s Danielle Volk (85) is tied for 12th.

Play resumes at 9 a.m. today.

Kindred also leads the boys tournament.

The Vikings posted a team total of 320 in spite of cool temps and high winds on Tuesday at the North Dakota Class B state meet on Tuesday at Oxbow County Club.

Region 2 dominated the team competition, with Kindred holding an eight-stroke lead over Fargo Oak Grove. Central Cass collected a team total of 346 and sat in third entering the final day of competition, which begins at 9 a.m. today.

“We were just trying to battle the weather out there and grind it out,” Kindred head coach Perry Piatz said. “Some of the kids were coming off after nine holes and were a little frustrated because their scores weren’t as good as what they thought they would be, but we are happy with where we are at.”

Nick Myhre of Northern Lights leads the individual competition after the first day, carding a 1-over 73.

Fargo Oak Grove senior Michael Rustvang sits in second place, two strokes behind Myhre with a 75. Rustvang, who is the defending Class B champion, was an even-par 36 after the first nine holes, but bogeyed holes 12, 14 and 15 to finish 3 over on the back nine. He had a chance to birdie on 18, but had a putt just miss the cup.

“I had a few little putts that definitely should have gone in, but overall I’m pretty happy with how I played,” Rustvang said. “I didn’t hit the ball the greatest, but my short game was pretty solid.”

David Talley paced the Vikings with a 5-over 77, which placed him third.

Talley double-bogeyed two holes on the front nine, but also had three birdies in his round.

“I had a couple of rough holes,” Talley said. “I didn’t finish the front nine the way I would have liked. I double bogeyed hole 9 at the end, but I wasn’t to mad about it.”

“I was pretty happy with how I played considering the conditions. My drives were clicking and my putting was going well too.”

He is still within striking distance of Myhre and Rustvang, which the senior said is right where he wanted to be after the first day.

Being first in the team title chase also suits Talley just fine.

“That’s pretty much why we came here,” Talley said. “As a team we want to win it and we want to win it by a lot.”

Cody Pulczinski, Ian Anderson and Blake Anderson each carded 81s for the Vikings and are tied for fifth place.

Ellery Bresnahan paced the Squirrels with an 82.

Complete results of both meets can be found on page B2.

Tags: class b, sports, track