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Morell brings home state golf title
GRAND ISLAND -- You can add McCook junior Katherine Morell to the high school's list of state champions.
Morell captured the Nebraska Class B individual state championship Tuesday by shooting 154 for the two days at Riverside Golf Club at Grand Island.
Morell, who placed 11th as a sophomore last year, followed up her first-round 79 with a second-round 75.
Morell was interviewed by KICX radio's Rich Barnett Wednesday morning. She said she was happy about the way she played on 15 of the 18 holes.
"There were definitely some shots I could have made," said Morell, who is the fourth Bison girls golfer to win a state title.
Her sister Elizabeth, now competing at Creighton University, won twice. Erin Gumb won a state title in 1996.
"I finally started making some putts," Morell added.
Scottsbluff shot a second-day score of 331 and won the championship in Class B by 21 strokes over Beatrice.
Lincoln Pius X won its third straight Class A Girls State Golf Tournament championships Tuesday.
But the tournament now has a new individual champion, Rachel Byleen of Lincoln Southeast. Byleen finished with a 154, beating out defending champion Leigh Sutton of Lincoln Pius by four strokes.
After finishing the first round tied with Norfolk, the Thunderbolts pulled away for a 15-stroke victory at Indianhead Golf Club.
The team ended with a 2-day total of 675.
Norfolk (690) finished second, and Grand Island (693) was third.
"This team has worked hard all season, and this was our ultimate goal," Pius coach Stephanie Kolbas said.
Byleen said her win felt good.
"This was one of my goals this year, and it is good to meet it," Byleen said. "I was taking my round shot-by-shot and did not think about my total score."
In Class C at Jackrabbit Run Golf Course, Minden shot a 327, the day's best team score by 26 shots.
They finished with a 675 to win the Whippets' second straight state championship.
Minden senior Kristen Kosch captured her second straight individual title.
Her even-par 72 beat St. Francis' Miranda Bender by one shot.
STATE RESULTS
GRAND ISLAND (AP) -- Final results Tuesday of the girls state high school golf tournament.
Class A at Indianhead GC
Team scoring--Lincoln Pius X 338-337--675, Norfolk 338-352--690, Grand Island 354-339--693, Lincoln Southeast 359-347--706, Fremont 357-363--720, Omaha Marian 363-367--730, Kearney 395-387--782, Lincoln Southwest 395-401--796, Papillion-LaVista 387-410--797, Millard South 416-439--855, Lincoln Northeast 429-436--865, Omaha Burke 436-438--874.
Individual leaders
Rachel Byleen, Lincoln Southeast, 78-76--154
Leigh Sutton, Lincoln Pius X, 82-76--158
Carly Froehlich, Norfolk, 84-84--168
Ashlei Howell, Lincoln Southwest, 86-83--169
JC Stevenson, Grand Island, 83-86--169
Stephanie Sutton, Lincoln Pius X, 82-87--169
Kate O'Dea, Kearney, 85-85--170
Ashley Robinette, South Sioux City, 83-88--171
Emily Duncan, Norfolk, 82-90--172
Johnna Jeffries, Grand Island, 89-83--172
Megan Bartlett, Grand Island, 89-83--172
Jennifer Determan, Lincoln Pius X, 87-88--175
Mallery Polodna, Norfolk, 85-90--175
Sara Wolfe, Norfolk, 87-88--175
Michelle McLaughlin, Lincoln Pius X, 91-86--177
Emily Saeger, Fremont, 85-93--178
Lindsay Newton, North Platte, 89-89--178
Katrina Saeger, Fremont, 91-88--179
Sarah Gabelman, Lincoln Pius X, 87-92--179
Moira Groh, Fremont, 89-91--180.
Class B at Riverside GC
Team scoring--Scottsbluff 349-331--680, Beatrice 352-349--701, York 354-353--707, Ogallala 363-361--724, Nebraska City 389-374--763, Gretna 385-384--769, Holdrege 395-385--780, Omaha Duchesne 384-399--783, Grand Island NW 403-391--794, Wayne 401-398--799, Gering 402-403--805, Elkhorn 427-420--847.
Individual leaders
Katherine Morell, McCook, 79-75--154
Brittany Pepler, Scottsbluff, 81-75--156
Ellen Anderson, Ogallala, 80-80--160
Julia Engleman, Scottsbluff, 81-83--164
Lacey Theiler, Ogallala, 85-79--164
Leslie Simmons, Beatrice, 82-83--165
Megan Place, Omaha Duchesne, 79-87--166
Julie Sunderman, Nebraska City, 82-86--168
Katherine Gloor, Beatrice, 83-88--169
Amanda Schnell, York, 86-84--170
Kim Imel, Holdrege, 89-83--172
Kate Becker, York, 83-90--173
Haley Weber, Seward, 87-88--175
Kelsey Luers, Beatrice, 90-86--176
Jennifer Trump, Grand Island NW, 91-86--177
Lauren Lacey, Scottsbluff, 96-81--177
Katie Berlin, York, 91-90--181
Maureen Farrell, Nebraska City, 98-84--182
Sarah Hannon, York, 94-89--183
Mary Boehle, Wayne, 92-93--185.
Class C at Jackrabbit Run GC
Team scoring--Minden 348-327--675, Humphrey St. Francis 355-353--708, Bridgeport 364-361--725, Norfolk Catholic 362-373--735, Plainview 379-373--752, Hartington Cedar Catholic 371-397--768, Hastings St. Cecilia 378, 399--777, Columbus Scotus 382, 397--779, Tekamah-Herman 401-396--797, Tri-County 392-410--802, Loup City 415-398--813, Syracuse 403-411--814, Auburn 412-417--829, Ravenna 423-433--856, Wood River 436-447--883.
Individual leaders
Kristen Kosch, Minden, 81-72--153
Miranda Bender, Humphrey St. Francis, 77-77--154
Kim Kuchar, Battle Creek, 76-80--156
Krista Hrdlicka, Wahoo, 83-75--158
Karla Harshbarger, Bridgeport, 83-81--164
Jade Qualset, Elkhorn Valley, 82-83--165
Whitney Schwenka, Minden, 82-83--165
Danielle Bernt, Columbus Scotus, 84-83--167
Christina Murman, Hastings St. Cecilia, 79-92--171
Lindsay Exstrom, Minden, 91-80--171
Betsy Morgan, Boone Central, 86-91--177
Emily Morrow, Norfolk Catholic, 88-89--177
Megan Behrens, Norfolk Catholic, 88-91--179
Shaelynne Pohlman, Stanton, 88-91--179
Tamara Dobrinski, Bridgeport, 88-91--179
Brooke McCabe, Plainview, 95-85--180
Kendra Bender, Humphrey St. Francis, 91-89--180
Samantha Hanson, Chappell, 89-91--180
Capri Timm, Loup City, 89-93--182
Kacie McCormick, Valentine, 86-92--182