Trojan finishes strong to earn state title

Cambridge senior Preston Harbaugh (left) and coach Lyle Calvert celebrated Carbaugh's Class C state golf championship at Kearney on Wednesday.

Facebook photo/cambridge public schools

KEARNEY, Neb. — Sharper than a Fox and never losing focus, Cambridge senior Preston Carbaugh made his final five high school golf holes unforgettable Wednesday afternoon.

Carbaugh broke from a pressure-packed tie for the Class C state lead through 13 holes at Meadowlark Country Club.

He hit a “3” on his 14th hole and then another “3’ on 17 to cap the one-day event wiped out because of weather on Tuesday.

Eli Fox of Grand Island Central Catholic had kept pace with Carbaugh until two “5s” on those dramatic final five holes.

When the last putt was made, Cambridge’s Carbaugh tied for second among all state golfers across Nebraska Wednesday afternoon.

Yet he would be second to no one in Class C.

Carbaugh’s 74 secured his ultimate goal of a state championship in his final Trojan athletic event.

The three-sport athlete triumphed over three other contenders: Fox, Oakland-Craig junior Ian Lundquist and sophomore Riley Kuehn of Hartington Cedar Catholic who all tied for second at 76.

Carbaugh was a state top five placer last season, but knew he could do much more.

“Everyone who finished in front of me graduated,” he said following his RPAC tournament title on April 26. “So I have pretty big goals.”

Mission

accomplished.

The final Class C top 10 on Wednesday:

1. Carbaugh, CAM, 39-35-74; 2. Fox, GICC, 39-37-76; 2. Lundquist, O-C, 39-37-76; 2. Kuehn, HCC, 38-38-76; 5. Jack Goering, GICC, 39-38-77; 5. Jake Hagerbaumer, Logan View, 40-37-77; 7. Luke Stueve, Battle Creek, 39-40-79;8. Ty Heimes, Battle Creek, 42-38-80; 9. Griffin Hendricks, Doniphan-Trumbull, 41-40-81; 9. Will Eigert, Yutan, 39-42-81.

Fox did lead those GICC Crusaders to a Class C state team title repeat. The 324 team score edged Battle Creek by one stroke while Oakland-Craig was third with 349 among 12 teams.