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Bison struggle at North Platte golf meet
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- The McCook High School boys golf team went shooting in their season-opening event without several of the Bison big guns.
The McCook boys finished fourth at the North Platte Invitational held Friday, March 22, at the Iron Eagle Golf Course. the host Bulldogs won the team title with a low 18-hole total of 332 strokes. Grand Island was second with a 347, followed by Hastings at 264 and McCook with a 385.
The Bison have 10 tournaments on the 2013 spring schedule. The Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) mandates that prep golfers may compete in just nine invitational meets during the year. So McCook head coach Rick Haney has a predetermined rotation where each of his top eight individual players will sit out one meet.
Due to the early-season meet and inclement weather that the Bison always seem to battle this early in the season, Haney sat his top three golfers, including state meet veterans Sean Backer and Mack Alspaugh.
Backer finished second and Alspaugh tied for 10th in the 2012 Class B state meet, leading the Bison to a third-place finish in the final team standings.
McCook didn't place an individual in the top 10 individual medalists. Top shooter for the Bison was David Durner, who fired rounds of 46 and 44 for an 18-hole score of 90 strokes. Durner finished one shot out of 10th.
Riley Loop carded a 97 in the first varsity meet of his prep career. James Mitnik had a 98, and Ben Skiles shot 100.
Coach Haney said it was not a good day for his team on the scorecard.
"We had one of those days where it seemed the group just could not get in sync with the rounds," Haney said. "The kids did put a lot of heart into their performances, but the numbers just did not workout."
The Bison return to North Platte Tuesday, April 2, for a dual meet at Iron Eagle starting at 4 p.m. McCook will enter the Kearney Invitational Friday, April 5, at the Meadowlark Hills Golf Course.
NORTH PLATTE INVITATIONAL
Friday, March 22, at Iron Eagle Golf Course
Team Standings
| 1. North Platte | 332 |
| 2. Grand Island | 347 |
| 3. Hastings | 364 |
| 4. McCook | 385 |
| 5. North Platte JV | 389 |
| 6. Lexington | 393 |
| 7. Gering | 416 |
| 8. Gothenburg | 422 |
| 9. Ogallala | 438 |
| 10. Cozad | 439 |
Top 10 Individual Medalists
| 1. Cameron Bargell, North Platte | 75 |
| 2. Eric Marble, Hastings | 81 |
| 3. Matt Schartz, North Platte | 84 |
| 4. Keaton Hope, North Platte | 84 |
| 5. Jeff Allen, Grand Island | 84 |
| 6. Grayson Flanders, No. Platte JV | 85 |
| 7. Dylan Holloway, Grand Island | 85 |
| 8. Baily Hort, Gering | 85 |
| 9. Tyson Block, Lexington | 86 |
| 10. Troy Hlavaty, North Platte | 89 |
McCook Individual Scores
| David Durner | 46 - 44 -- 90 |
| Riley Loop | 51 - 46 -- 97 |
| James Mitnik | 55 - 43 -- 98 |
| Ben Skiles | 49 - 51 -- 100 |
| Gavin Harsh | NA-NA --102 |