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Let it be known: Bison golf boys are SWC champions
BROKEN BOW, Neb. — The great unknown became a latest great McCook High boys golf victory as they took home Thursday’s Southwest Conference team championship.
McCook’s top four players earned all-SWC honors, and every stroke was needed to total 328 which edged host Broken Bow’s 330.
Quite an achievement considering the Bison knew almost nothing about this 2026 SWC tournament course.
“Most of the players had not seen the course and I can’t be more proud of the effort to battle through some unknown conditions,” coach Ben Vetrovsky observed. “Gritty performance and total team effort out of the Bison.”
Indeed. Senior Trenton Raile led the Bison again, carding a solid 49 to finish fourth and keep his spot on this latest all-SWC first team.
Yet Bison like junior Asher Wilson stepped up brilliantly with his sixth-place league finish.
Wilson picked off rivals expected to finish ahead of him like interceptions during his strong football campaign last fall.
The 40-40 vision from Wilson perfectly complemented classmate Cruz McCarty’s terrific comeback on Thursday. After needing 45 strokes to finish the first nine, McCarty shaved seven strokes off that back nine (45-38) to earn his SWC top 10 place.
Both Wilson and McCarty were honored with all-SWC second team.
“Asher Wilson had a very solid day on the course and really helped the result to win the conference,” B.V. confirmed. “Cruz McCarty had a fantastic second nine and showed a lot of grit in his finish.”
Junior Brody Anthony earned his own SWC medal with a four-stroke drop on the back nine holes (45-41). He earned a SWC all-conference third-team spot.
Bison junior Wyatt Benes wasn’t far from making it five-for-five as he was just one stroke behind Anthony at 87.
Junior Tripp Raile’s 91 completed the champion Bison contingent.
“Brody, Wyatt, and Tripp all had solid days on the course as well,” Vetrovsky concluded. “We have one more week to get some work in before districts on the 18th of May.”
The Bison will be trying to qualify their entire varsity lineup into Class B state for a third consecutive season.
SWC team standings: 1. McCook 328, 2. Broken Bow 330, 3. Ogallala 342, 4. Minden 343, 5. Cozad 345, 6. Gothenburg 346, 7. Holdrege 348.
Individual medalists: 1. E. Atchison, COZ, 37-40-77; 2. Z. Ptacnik, HOLD, 40-38-78; 3. R. Gilmore, OGA, 38-40-78; 4. Trenton Raile, MC, 37-42-79; 5. A. Gibbons, Bow, 41-38-79; 6. Asher Wilson, MC, 40-40-80; 7. B. Ridder, Bow, 41-42-83; 8. T. Schmidt, MIND, 40-43-83; 9. Cruz McCarty, MC, 45-38-83; 10. J. White, Bow, 41-42-83; 11. E. Kidder, HOLD, 40-44-84; 12. G. Johnk, Bow, 42-42-84; 13. Z. Klabunde, MIND, 39-45-84; 14. T. Bartels, GOTH, 40-45-85; 15. Brody Anthony, MC, 45-41-86.