Falcon takes first, team leads area at Arapahoe tourney

ARAPAHOE, Neb. — Sophomore Jack Baker fired 35 across his last nine holes and his total score led the Hitchcock County golfers to fourth overall among 14 teams at Tuesday's Arapahoe Invitational.

Baker held off fast-finishing Tyson Essex, who needed just five strokes to finish his last two holes.

Team champion Amherst leader Cope Smith only trailed Baker by one stroke through the first 16, but Baker's 4-4 proved better than Smith firing 4-5 on his last two.

Hitchcock County shot 340 as a team with Brayden Melchert (84) also reaching the top 15. The Falcons are following a No. 8 finish at last spring's Class D state tournament.

RPAC contender Southern Valley earned fifth placer thanks behind medalists Kamden Bose (80) and Braxton Hammond (81). Hammond sliced seven strokes off his front nine, needing only 37 through those last nine holes.

Sophomore Micah Gerlach's 87 led the Cambridge Trojans to a one-stroke win over host Arapahoe while placing eighth as a team. Gerlach shot only 4s and 5s through the first 10 holes but had two 7s and 6s on those last eight.

Senior Rafe's 94 was the best for those host Arapahoe Warriors.

Team scores and more area results:

Teams: 1. Amherst 319, 2. Loomis 326, 3. Hi-Line 335, 4. Hitchcock County 340, 5. Southern Valley 345, 6. Alma 358, 7. Bertrand 361, 8. Cambridge 387, 9. Arapahoe 388, 10. Southwest 393, 11. Elm Creek 394, 12. Pleasanton 407, 13. Maywood-Hayes Center 463, 14. Medicine Valley 485.

Top 15 individuals: 1. Jack Baker, HC, 74, 2. T. Essex, LOOM, 75; 3. C. Smith, AMH, 76; 4. G. Norris, LOOM, 78; 5. A. Adelung, AMH, 78; 6. Kamden Bose, SV, 80; 7. G. Tilson, H-L, 80; 8. K. Jones, AMH, 81; 9. Braxton Hammond, SV, 81; 10. J. Kehr, BERT, 82; 11. H. Weeder, H-L, 83; 12. L. Larson, LOOM, 84; 13. Brayden Melchert, HC, 84; 14. C. Korth, AMH, 84; 15. J. Niemeier, H-L, 85.

Other top scores from area teams:

Hitchcock County: Ashton Parker-Johnson 89, Darin Neben 93.

Southern Valley: Jace Hammond 88, Rian Grove 96.

Cambridge: Micah Gerlach 87, Maverick Webb 93, Brohdey Wood 94.

Arapahoe: Rafe Hill 94, Chris Hermes 96, Eli Shafer 99, Briggs Hill 99.

Southwest: Huston Billeter 90, Hunter Blume 94, Colton Sedlacek 94.

Maywood-Hayes Center: Landon Littrel 106, Hunter Koetter 115, Cora Meyer 116.

Medicine Valley: Tyce Pate 92, Kevin Bantam 116.