Lingen, Heckel each get into a top 10 in first two GNC golf meets
MEDFORD GOLF
Great Northern Conference competition has not been kind to Medford’s young golf team early in the 2021 season.
The Raiders landed in sixth place Tuesday for the second time in as many league meets, beating only the host Tomahawk Hatchets at Inshalla Country Club with their team score of 383. They’ll have some work to do in the remaining five league meets to join the middle of the pack.
Individually, freshman Connor Lingen put himself in contention for All-GNC post-season by shooting an 18-over par 88 and landing in a three-way for seventh place Tuesday with Antigo’s Joe Volpentesta and Mosinee’s Jett Walters. Lingen now has three individual points, good for an 11th place tie in the individual standings through two meets.
Caleb Heckel, is tied with Nick Krueger of Northland Pines for ninth place with 3.5 points, shot a 96 for the Raiders Tuesday. Lucas Liske carded a 99, Riley Viergutz shot a 100 out of the number-five spot in the lineup and Colton Gowey wound up with a 106.
Lakeland continued to dominate, winning its second GNC meet and going a perfect four for four overall with a team score of 332. The T-Birds were led by their dynamic duo of Kaeden Nomm and Cody Olson, who were the top two finishers. Nomm shot a 1-under-par 69 to easily win the meet by nine shots over Olson. Nomm has a 20-17 lead in the individual standings over Olson.
Mosinee took second and trails Lakeland 14-12 in the team standings through two meets. The Indians posted a team score of 350 and were led by third-place finisher Toren Holtz, who shot an 80. His teammate, Parker Craft, was fourth on the day with an 85.
Rhinelander was third at 364, five shots ahead of Antigo. Northland Pines was fifth at 372, nine shots ahead of Medford. Tomahawk was unable to use the home-course advantage, finishing well behind the rest of the field at 501.
The first GNC meet of the season was hosted and won by Lakeland Thursday afternoon at the Minocqua Country Club. The T-Birds posted a score of 330 to beat Mosinee by 20 strokes. Antigo and Northland Pines tied for third at 352. Rhinelander edged Medford 364-368 for fifth place. Tomahawk was a distant seventh at 466.
Heckel earned his 3.5 individual points by tying Krueger for seventh place. They shot 85s. Heckel shot particularly well on the back nine, shooting a 4-over-par 40. Lingen shot an 89 to fall one shot shy of earning individual points. There was a five-way tie for 10th place at 88.
Liske shot a 43 on the front nine and finished with a 93. Gowey added a 101 and Isaac Dittrich carded a 105.
Nomm shot a 3-over-par 73 to win the meet by six strokes over the trio of Olson, Volpentesta and Rhinelander’s Koldyn Gechas. Holtz and Brandon Messner of Northland Pines tied for fifth with 80s.
Mosinee will host GNC meet number three today, Thursday, at Indianhead Golf Course at 3 p.m. Medford and Hurley will visit host Prentice for a Friday triangular, then the Raiders will be at Northwood Golf Course Monday for the Rhinelander Invitational. GNC play resumes Tuesday at Antigo’s Bass Lake Country Club.
