Kamie Roesler and the Central Cass girls' golf team couldn't have gotten off to a much better start to the girls' Class B golf tournament Tuesday at Hillcrest Golf Course in Jamestown.
Roesler, last year's fifth-place individual finisher at state, led the Squirrels into first place after the first day of state competition.
"That's awesome," said Roesler, the Squirrels' No. 1 golfer. "We were not expecting it at all. We're really surprised and everyone is really pulling through on our team."
Roesler, as an individual, is alone in second place, three strokes behind last year's runner-up Abby Knutsen of Hatton/Northwood.
"Seventy-nine is alright," she said. "I missed quite a few short putts that I should have made, but I'm happy with a 79."
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Despite leaving a few shots out on the course, the senior still is in a better position than she ever has been after one round of play at state.
"Last year I shot an 89 and 78," she said. "Hopefully I can shoot well again (today)."
Roelser started on the front side, where she carded five bogeys for a 40 on her way out, but heading back towards the clubhouse on the backside she was able to string together five pars and a birdie, which came on the par-4 11th, to post a 39 to close out her round.
"My drives were all pretty much right down the middle," Roesler said. "Everything was good except for my short game."
Knutson was a couple groups back of Roesler, who played in the second group out, when she fired her tournament-leading 76.
The senior from Hatton/Northwood had two birdies in her round, No. 5 and No. 18, to go along with her 10 pars and six bogeys.
Knutson favored well on the par-5's on Tuesday, finishing 1-under on the day on the course's longest holes.
Knutson and the Thunder are tied for fourth heading into the final day of competition after combining for a 379.
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Central Cass finished Day 1 with a team score of 374, three strokes clear of Hazen and Linton, who both finished the day at 377.
"We've never gotten close at all," Roesler said of winning the state tournament. "The best we've ever gotten was fourth place."
The Squirrels had three sub-100 rounds as Kirsten Marschke and Kendra Romsdal scored a 93 and a 99, respectively, while Kelsie Nelson's 103 was the final Central Cass score to count towards the team total.
Linton was led by Hailey Dockter (84) and Margaret Burke (93), while Hazen was paced by Jinny Miller, Kate Berg and Stef Bohrer, who all shot 94. The final scorer for Hazen was Christine Irwin's 95.
Kenmare is tied with Hatton-Northwood with a 379, with one of the tournament highlights coming from the Honkers' No. 3 golfer.
Ashley Barnhart, a sophomore from Kenmare, stepped to the par-3 8th hole and attacked the pin, which stood 125 yards away, with her 8-iron. The shot had the perfect combination of accuracy and distance as it fell in the cup for a hole-in-one.
Barnhart finished the day tied for 16th with a team-best 91.
Last year's individual champion Amber Piatz is tied for third after carding an 83 in the opening round.
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Tee-times for today have been moved up to 8 a.m. with the higher scores teeing off first.
"Hopefully I can be a little bit more consistent and make a few short putts," Roesler said, "and don't get too nervous."
State Class B Girls Golf Tournament
At Hillcrest Golf Course in Jamestown
Team results
1, Central Cass 374; 2 (tie), Hazen 377, Linton 377; 4 (tie), Hatton-Northwood 379; Kenmare 379; 6, Lidgerwood 382; 7, Grafton 383; 8, Tioga 386; 9, MLS 388; 10, Larimore 396; 11, Kindred 400; 12, Bowman County 405; 13, Beulah 406; 14, Oak Grove 421; 15, Lisbon 426; 16 (tie), Garrison 431; Dunseith 431; 18, Velva 449.
Individual results
1, Abby Knutson, Hatton-Northwood, 76. 2, Kamie Roesler, Central Cass, 79; 3 (tie), Paige Tompkins, Milnor; Shelby Carlson, Tioga; Amber Piatz, Napoleon, 83. 6, Hailey Dockter, Linton, 84. 7, Audrey Bilden, Hatton/Northwood, 86. 8, Kayla Palczewski, Bowman County, 87. 9 (tie), Chelsie Aker, L-H-F; Melissa Langer, North Star; Ali Burns, Grafton; Callie Carlson, MLS; Kinzie Molde, Grafton, 88. 14, Meredith Wathne, Griggs County, 89. 15, Laura Podolak, Kindred, 90. 16 (tie), Alyssa Bauer, Beulah; Annie Twells, Oak Grove; Olivia Knutson, Hatton/Northwood; Ashley Barnhardt, Kenmare, 91.
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20 (tie), Kate Podolak, Kindred; Meghan Essler, Kenmare; Becca Heinitz, Hillsboro; Jorden Brown, MLS, 92; 24 (tie), Kirsten Marschke, Central Cass; Molly Artz, Westhope; Margaret Burke, Linton; Jordan Larson, Tioga, 93. 28 (tie) Kate Berg, Hazen; Macie Harris, Kenmare; Jinny Miller, Hazen; Laura Duppong, Glen Ullin; Stef Bohrer, Hazen, 94. 33 (tie) Hailey Gentzkow, LLMM; Alex Leidholm, Washburn; Christine Irwin, Hazen, 95. 36 (tie), Allison Schick, Flasher; Jordaan Thompson, Sargent Central; Brianna Stein, Lidg-Hank-Fair, 96. 39 (tie) Maggie Lorenz, Harvey; Rachael Hansana, Hazen; Alexis Hofer, Larimore, 97.
42 (tie) Mickal Sayler, Beulah; Mariah Lockert, Bowman County, 98. 48 (tie) Heidi Trosen, Larimore; Sam Peiler, Larimore; Faith Kadelbach, Larimore; Sammi Cottingham, Central McLean; Danielle Volk, Linton; Whitney Gerving, Linton; Haley Christofferson, Lisbon, 100. 55 (tie), Ariel Hystad, Velva; Brittny Riemer, Garrison; Karen Cushing, Tioga; Rachelle Counts, Dunseith; Emma Miller, Hazen, 101.
60 (tie), Katie Sieben, Grafton; Jade Teske, Westhope-Newburg; Alix Kling, Kenmare; Cailtin Wilcox, Garrison; Kelsie Nelson, Cantral Cass; Skylar Aberle, MLS, 103. 66 (tie), Haily Abel, Larimore; Taylor Corneillie, Grafton; Rebecca Andres, Edgeley-Kulm; Erika Anderson, Valley City; Michele Hoistad, Lisbon; Shelby Wenstad, MLS, 105; 72 (tie), Shayla Counts, Dunseith; Breanna Brady, Oak Grove, 106; 74 (tie), Steph Hanson, Grafton; Becca Alt, Beulah; Savanna Nesemeier, Kindred, 107. 77, Jaden Pfahl, Dunseith, 108; 78 (tie) Danielle Johnson, MPCG; Payton Schumann, Glenburn; Alexis Martinson, Oak Grove; Bailey McGee, Bowman County; Katie Larson, Tioga; Grace Buchholz, Lisbon; Anna Vander Laan, MLS; Cassey Voigt, MLS; Jenna Mehlhoff, Garrison, 109.
87 (tie), Mikaela Casey, Kindred; Mataya Seamands, Bowman County; Emma Ilvedson, Kindred, 111. 92 (tie), Karly Palczweski, Bowman County; Jennifer Anderson, Lisbon, 112. 94 (tie), Riley Camas, Central Cass; Shelby Wunderlich, Velva; Kayla Rotenberger, Lisbon; Brittany Harris, Kenmare, 113. 98, McKenna Flyberg, Linton, 114. 99 (tie), Kelsey Colwell, Oak Grove; Alexis Piatz, Kindred; Mckenzie Kramer, Linton, 115;
102 (tie), Jessica Hill, Bowman County; Madison Nadeau, Dunseith, 116. 104 (tie), Jenna Beilke, Central Cass; Casey Behles, Garrison; Morgan Olson, Lisbon, 118. 107, Lacey Nelson, Lidg/Hank/Fair, 121. 108, Christina Phipps, Hatton/Northwood, 126. 109, Audrey Bilden, Velva, 127. 110 (tie), Taylor Lang, Oak Grove; April Finneseth, Velva, 132. 112, Kara Wilwand, North Border, 136.
Sun sports writer David Griswold can be reached at (701) 952-8462 or by email at dgriswold@jamestownsun.com
