State golf roundup: Beatrice's Baehr wins tight Class B race, and more Wednesday highlights

Beatrice’s Treyton Baehr was the last one standing in a competitive individual race, topping Norris’ Travis Tilford on the second playoff hole of the Class B state golf tournament Wednesday in Gering.

Both players finished with a two-round total of even-par 144 at Monument Shadows Golf Course, setting up the one-on-one showdown. Baehr was tied for first with York’s Ryan Seevers after firing a 2-under 70 on Tuesday. Tilford used a pair of steady 72s to make the playoff.

Baehr made back-to-back birdies on holes 15 and 16, playing his final four holes in 2-under, to get to extra holes.

The race was tight. Three golfers finished within three shots of the leaders: Norris’ Carson Thurber, and York’s duo Ryan Seevers tied for third at 1-over, one shot out of the playoff, while the Dukes’ Elijah Jensen was fifth at 3-over.

York won the Class B team championship in coach Dan Malleck’s final season, running away from 2022 winner Norris behind four top-10 finishers. The Dukes finished eight strokes clear of the Titans with a two-day total of 593.

York was the only team to beat Norris this season, edging the Titans in a team playoff for the B-3 district championship before winning state. The Dukes’ 593 total was the lowest winning score in Class B since McCook’s 588 in 2003, and tied for the second-lowest since the event went to 36 holes in 1996.

Wahoo’s Luke Specht tied for 12th as area golfers occupied nine of the top 15 places, including the top five, and seven of the top 10.

Sophomore nabs title

An underclassman held off two seniors to win the Class C title at Elks Country Club in Columbus.

Kearney Catholic sophomore Jackson Dunham shot 3-over 75 on Wednesday to hold off charges from Grand Island Central Catholic’s Bowdie Fox and Palmyra’s Noah Carpenter. Dunham’s two-day total was 5-over 149, followed by Fox (152) and Carpenter (154).

Dunham led the Stars’ bid for a team title. They won with a two-day total of 629, beating Grand Island CC by 23 strokes. The Stars’ 309 on Wednesday was the best round of the day by 20 shots.

It is the first boys golf championship for Kearney Catholic, which last had an individual champion in 2004 and 2005 when Phil Hranac won back-to-back titles.

Lincoln Christian finished fifth as a team with a two-day total of 692. Benjamin Mooss, one of four freshmen in the varsity lineup, led the Crusaders with a two-day total of 163 to tie for 16th, one shot away from a medal.

Lincoln Lutheran finished ninth.

Pendragons run away

Pender cruised to the Class D team title behind Quinton Heineman and Layton Gralheer, winning by 11 shots.

Heineman (152) and Gralheer (153) finished second and third, respectively, in leading the Pendragons’ effort at Lake Maloney Golf Course in North Platte. Pender held off 2022 champion Overton, with Loomis finishing third.

Creighton’s Gage Burns won the individual title by one shot, playing his last seven holes in 1-under par to edge Heineman and Grallheer. Burns shot rounds of 76-75 to finish at 7-over par.

Exeter-Milligan’s Carter Milton finished fifth at 12-over.