Jimmie golf expected to be strong

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If the qualifying rounds are any indication, the Jimmie men’s golf team is ready to roll.

Coming off a near unbeaten season as a team, first-year head coach Dustin Jensen is expecting nothing less from the Jack Bietz, Kameron Hunter and Tommy Rockis led team.

“The first round of qualifying they shot 69, 72, 73 — they’re here to play golf. They’re ready to go,” Jensen said of Bietz, Hunter and Rockis.

The Jimmies won eight of the nine meets they competed in as a team last season. The only one they did not win was the Association of Independent Institution tournament in Arizona last April. Prior to that, they ran the table.

Jensen isn’t shying away from setting a high bar for the team, which is small — just six team members — but skilled.

“This team has the potential to be about as good as any team we’ve ever had here at the college,” said Jensen, who was a member of the 2000-01 team that advanced to nationals. “Based on the ability of our guys, shooting under 300 every tournament is very attainable.”

After the Big 3 of Bietz, a senior, and juniors Hunter and Rockis, three promising freshman in Tyler Baukol, Chris Rochon and Mark Potter round out the roster. Due do eligibility issues, Rochon and Potter will golf unattached today in the season-opening Jimmie Open at Hillcrest, but it’s just a technicality involving getting the proper papers in place for the two freshman. “It’s to no fault of their own,” Jensen said.

The six will vie for the five spots in the lineup all fall and then into the second half of the season in the spring.

“We expect a lot out of the guys. They’re hard-workers and they’re out here all the time,” Jensen said. “They expect a lot out of themselves, too. I, nor do they, expect there to be any drop off at all from last season.”

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The numbers have rebounded for the women’s team, which shrunk throughout last season.

They don’t have the strength at the top, but their depth could prove to be a bonus.

The Stein sisters —Nicole and Brianna from Hankinson, N.D., — will open the season in the top two spots.

“They’ve played really well to start the season,” Jensen said.

From there, you can throw the rest in a hat.

Ashley Barnhart, a freshman from Kenmare, N.D., has shown a lot of promise. Rebekah Kramer and Beth Ryan, two sophomores, also figure into the mix.

Bismarck State College, Lake Region, Valley City State, Dickinson State and United Tribes will each send full teams today. Minot State’s women and Northern State’s men also will be in action.

It’s an interesting time for Jensen, who has worked in golf for virtually his entire professional career, but never as a head coach until now.

“It’s interesting to be in this role inside the ropes,” he said. “It’s kind of one of those things you never really think about doing, but you think back to the impact some of the coaches I had back in the day and then all of the sudden you’re in that role.

“You get to spend the afternoon on a golf course with college kids. … So far it’s been fun.”

Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at dselvig@jamestownsun.com

Tags: sports, jimmies, golf