Hager, Longhorns bring home hardware

With senior Brooke Hager shooting her low round of the season to claim the individual C-5 District Golf championship, the Kimball High girls brought home the team championship as well and are headed to the state tournament on Monday!

Not only did Kimball win the team title, but they won it in convincing fashion shooting 427, 10 strokes better than runner-up Chadron with 437, and third place Bridgeport by 12 strokes as the Lady Bulldogs shot 439.

The top three teams at District advance to state tournament play and these are the schools who will represent Western Nebraska at the Class C State Tournament being held at the Quail Run Golf Course in Columbus on Monday-Tuesday.

Finishing behind the top three were Perkins County 443, Valentine 452, Dundy County/Stratton 457, Hershey 466, Mitchell 466, and Gordon/Rushville 551. The win by Kimball could be considered an upset for certain as during the regular season they finished behind Bridgeport and Mitchell in most tournaments, and also were defeated by Chadron and Dundy County/Stratton as well. “It was so exciting to win the District and I am so happy for the girls” said first year coach Nora Robinson. “It was an entire team effort and two of the girls shot their low scores of the season, and the other two shot very well and finished strong.”

An awesome week for Hager as she not only captured the district championship, but also tied for the second low round at the Best in the West Tournament held at the Gering Momument Shadows Course this past week as well bringing home the third place medal after a score card playoff after shooting 88. Hager improved her season best round at district shooting 87 and with the win, will return to the state tournament for her fourth consecutive year!

Senior Brianna Jones also closed out the regular season in fine fashion by placing 8th at the Best in the West with a round of 99 losing a score card playoff for 7th place, and then fired her best round ever with a 94 at district to tie for 4th place. Both Hager and Jones brought home top ten medals along with their team championship gold medals and yet another championship trophy for the Kimball High trophy case.

Coach Robinson had said all along that the girls were steadily improving and she felt they were peaking at the right time.

“Now I told the girls we are going to go to state, relax and have fun with our games, and see what happens. I don’t want them putting a lot of pressure on themselves.”

Along with the top ten finishes by Hager and Jones, coach Robinson piled praise on the play of senior Hannah Walker who shot 57-60=117, and Jaycie Walker with her round of 62-67=129. All of the girls battled hard to the final stroke and Jaycie finished with a bogie and par on her final two holes and I was so proud of her,” Robinson said.

Hager’s nine hole scores were 43-44=87 and Jones was 48-46=94. Hager and Jones went off the front nine while Hannah and Jaycie started play on the back nine. Coach Robinson said her two top girls finished well ahead of the later tee times of the other girls but all of the girls were so supportive of each other.

The Kimball team plans to leave town early Sunday so they can play a practice round before the tournament play begins on Monday and continues on Tuesday.

Our best wishes go out to Coach Robinson and the Kimball High Girls, along with congratulations on the past week’s performances.