HUTCHINSON — Despite a tough start, St. John High School golf team finished as the No. 2 team at the Class 1A state tournament on Monday at Highlands Country Club.
The Tigers topped third-place South Gray by seven strokes with 381, but first-place finisher Ashland proved too strong, finishing at 367.
“We got off to a rocky start,” St. John head coach Clint Kinnamon said. “Spencer (Nusser) had a rough start with 11 on the first hole, but I was proud of how the boys played, especially Spencer. He could have just tanked the whole thing after that start, but he kept fighting back.
“He finished 57-44, so he really turned it around on the back nine.”
Senior Jacob Falk led St. John with a fourth-place finish. He shot 46 on the front nine and 41 on the back nine for an 87.
Bryce Garner, also a senior, finished at 94 for 11th place.
“I’m glad to see all of Ashland’s senior leaving, but I guess I’m losing two of my own,” Clint Kinnamon said. “Jacob and Bryce have had good careers. It was good to see them medal in this one. They’ve been good players for us, and good representatives of our school.”
Kade Kinnamon finished at 99, Nusser shot 101, Trey Nelson carded 107 and Zuriel Reyes finished with 118.
“Kade was two strokes out of medaling,” Clint Kinnamon said. “Spencer was four strokes away. Trey played his first round of golf since his injury. He did great for not picking up a club for as long as he did, and Zuriel had a good round, too.
“They all did pretty well.”
The second-place team finish was one of several solid state finishes for the St. John golf team.
“We won the whole thing in 2007 and ’09,” Clint Kinnamon said. “We’ve had a few second- and third-place finishes. We were close again. It was definitely a hard course.”

                                              — Kevin Price

Class 1A State Golf Tournament

At Hutchinson
Highlands Country Club

Monday

BOYS

Team scores
1. Ashland, 367; 2. St. John, 381; 3. South Gray, 388; 4. Pretty Prairie, 397; 5. Goessel, 408; 6. Hodgeman County, 422; 7. Valley Heights, 434; 8. Wallace County, 473; 9. Linn, 475; 10. Osborne, 484; 11. Stockton, 511; 12. Hoxie, 554

Medalists
1. Loewen, Ingalls, 80; 2. Beougher, Stockton, 84; 3. Luerman, Ashland, 87; 4. Jacob Falk, St. John, 87; 5. Briggs, Hodgeman County, 87; 6. Goerzen, Goessel, 90; 7. Dobrovolny, Valley Heights, 92; Stebens, Ashland. 93; 9. Watkins, South Gray, 93; McCann, Ashland, 93; 11. Young, Ashland, 94; 11. Bryce Garner, St. John, 94; 13. Jackson, Central Christian, 95; 13. Tebow, Quinter, 95; 13. Schmidt, Goessel, 95; 16. Kuhlman, Wallace County, 96; 16. Gover, Greeley County, 96; 18. Bullinger, South Gray, 97; 18. Borger, Hodgeman County, 97; 18. Welker, Pretty Prairie, 97; 20. Lesage, Pretty Prairie, 97; 20. Ryersee, West Plaine, 97; 20. Voelker, Linn, 97.

St. John results
Jacob Falk 46-41 — 87; Bryce Garner 47-47 — 94; Kade Kinnamon 50-49 — 99; Spencer Nusser 57-44 — 101; Trey Nelson 51-56 — 107; Zuriel Reyes 55-63 — 118