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Escanaba boys golf team wins showdown with Marquette

Marquette senior Jordan Jurmu putts at the third hole on the Marquette Golf Club’s Heritage course during a Great Northern Conference meet in Marquette on Monday afternoon. (Journal photo by Ryan Spitza)

MARQUETTE — In the first two Great Northern Conference matches of the season last week, the Marquette Senior High School boys golf team prevailed over runner-up Escanaba at the Escanaba Country Club on Thursday before the Eskymos edged Marquette at the Gladstone GNC match at Terrace Bluff on Friday.

The teams again finished 1-2 on Monday afternoon, with the Eskymos staying on top for its second GNC win in a row, narrowly defeating the Redmen by one stroke in a nine-hole battle on Heritage Golf Course at the Marquette Golf Club.

Esky finished with a team score of 162, followed by Marquette with 163, Kingsford with 196 and Menominee 197. Gladstone didn’t post a team score.

For the girls, it was Menominee claiming the top spot once again, earning team victories in all three GNC meets.

The Maroons finished with 199, followed by Escanaba with 216 and Marquette 230. Kingsford and Gladstone didn’t field full teams.

Marquette senior Jordan Jurmu putts at the third hole on the Marquette Golf Club’s Heritage course during a Great Northern Conference meet in Marquette on Monday afternoon. (Journal photo by Ryan Spitza)

The Menominee girls were led by Emma Hofer and Maddie Derusha, who each shot 45 on the front-nine Heritage layout. The double 45s earned the Maroons teammates a tie for third individually, while Kingsford’s Kate Cook finished second shooting a 42. Esky’s Paxton Johnson, a Northern Michigan University recruit, shot 38 to claim girls medalist honors.

Menominee head coach Tony Hofer said his girls earned their third consecutive conference win by the help of somebody new stepping up to the plate each time.

“It was another one where different players keep stepping up at different times,” he said. “That’s two good tournaments in a row for Emma with two 45s, so hopefully she’s getting into it a little bit.

“Maddie is a freshman and it’s her first time on the Marquette course. She had a great 45 and she’s played some good rounds this year.”

His other girls, Josie Hofer, Olivia Badker and Arikah Bellisle, all shot in the 50s.

“Josie, Olivia and Arikah had good rounds in Gladstone, but (today) they didn’t,” Hofer added. “But Maddie knocked five off the other day. It’s just a team thing where somebody keeps stepping up. They’ve been playing good.”

The Escanaba boys were led by Nathan Rousseau and Trevor Denome, each shooting a 38. Marquette’s Tyler Bergwall, last year’s GNC boys Player of the Year, matched that mark of 38, making it a three-way tie for second place.

Gladstone’s Rudy Peterson topped the boys leaderboard two strokes ahead of the second-place shooters with 36.

Marquette head coach Ben Smith said all it took was a couple of bad holes for his boys to fall behind, combined with chilly conditions as well as not being able to practice much with lousy spring weather.

“They got us by a shot,” he said. “We had a couple of 8s on the card which isn’t necessarily what you want on the front-nine at Heritage, but things happen. Conditions weren’t necessarily fun out there. It was cold, windy and it was kind of the first time swinging on our home course. We haven’t been out there too much.

“It’s definitely still early, but it’s kind of one of those things with our conference setup where every round matters. That’s why you kind of have to dig in and hang on.”

Joe Luke shot 42 for Marquette, taking an 8 on fourth hole for triple bogey. Ethan Sellers had the other 8 on the sixth, shooting a 44 for the day.

Jordan Jurmu shot 40 for the Redmen, good for a tie for fifth place with Menominee’s Brady Badker, while Karsten Kamps had 43 for Marquette.

Clayton Smith notched a 41 for Esky while Jaden Gravelle had a 45 and Brett McDonough 50.

Badker led the Maroons boy with a 40 while Andrew Macintyre shot a 41. Kingsford’s top shooter of the day was Matt Solda with a 42.

Other top finishers on the girls side include Marquette’s Morgan Rhoades rounding out the top five individuals, shooting 51. Josie Hofer shot 52 for Menominee while the Flivvers’ top shooter was Cook with 42.

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.

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