MITCHELL — Led by runner-up finishes from Mitchell’s Emma Reinesch and Berkli Miles, area golfers posted stellar showings on Tuesday.
Reinesch claimed second-place honors in the girls 12-13 division during the South Dakota Golf Association’s annual Southeast Junior Tour stop at Lakeview Golf Course, firing a round of 89 against Lakeview’s par-71 layout. Her round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-5 No. 9 hole.
Kate Schutz of Mitchell came in third place in the division, also firing a round of 89, which included a front-nine score of 41. Stella Smith of Sioux Falls birdied three of her opening five holes en route to the division championship with an 8-over 79.
Miles shot a nine-hole score of 51 to come in second place in the girls 10-11 division. Kendall Aadland was third with a 57, and Ella Leighton came home in fourth with a 64. Brandon’s Madelynn Lahren shot a 46 to win the title.
Blake Durham / Mitchell Republic
Tyndall’s Michael Branaugh balanced out three bogeys with three birdies on his front nine en route to a fifth-place finish in the boys 14-15 division, shooting a 7-over 78 with a front-side score of 36.
Other area finishers in the division include Mount Vernon’s Trysten Eide (11th, 84), Chamberlain’s Brayden Kriel (18th, 88), Parkston’s Killian Kummer (25th, 96), Chamberlain’s Briggs McDonald (28th, 118) and Canova’s Drew Endorf (29th, 122). Webster’s Seth Lesnar fired a 3-over 74 to claim the boys 14-15 title.
In the boys 16-18 division, Kelby Neugebauer of Parkston picked up a birdie on the par-4 No. 13 hole, finishing a round of 7-over 78 to secure a sixth-place result. Oacoma’s Chase McQuirk shot an 82 en route to finishing in 11th. Heyns Bothma of Wessington Springs was 18th with an 86, and Mitchell’s Mason Moody came in 20th after a round of 96. Yankton’s Easton Vellek won the title after shooting a 1-under 70.
Mitchell’s Jackson Gillen posted the best area finish in the boys 12-13 division with a seventh-place showing, shooting an 83 with one birdie. Griffin Lyle shot a front-nine score of 39, eventually finishing in ninth with an 84. Brookings’ Jack Baszler carded three birdies on his way to the division championship, shooting a 1-over 72.
Other 18-hole division champions included Vermillion’s Ronnie Wilharm (80) in the girls 14-15 division and Harrisburg’s Makenna Kindt (80) in the girls 16-18 division.
In the other nine-hole divisions, Mitchell product Brooks Aadland fired a 43 in the boys under-9 division to finish in third place, with Jordy Walder coming in seventh following a 48. Miles Lunning of Brandon fired a 4-under 32 with five birdies en route to the division championship. Winner’s Zoey Zeigler finished in third in the girls under-9 division after shooting a 59. Hartford’s Merrick Boyden won with a round of 46.
Lincoln Ziegler of Winner posted the highest area finish in the boys 10-11 division after a nine-hole score of 42. Fellow Winner native Trigg Haiar was seventh with a 49, and Mitchell’s Adam Murphy shot a 59 en route to finishing in ninth. Brandon’s Teddy Krivarchka claimed the division title with an even-par round 36.
Blake Durham / Mitchell Republic
The next SDGA Junior Tour stop for the Southeast division is on Wednesday, June 25, at Edgebrook Golf Course in Brookings. Lakeview is also slated to host the three-day SDGA Junior Championship beginning on Monday, July 21, featuring many of the state’s top youth players.
Blake Durham is a Sports Reporter for the Mitchell Republic, having joined in October of 2023. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in December of 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. Durham can be found covering a variety of prep and collegiate sports in the area.
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