Jadyn Friesen may just have mixed a little of his dirt track racing prowess with his golf game last week as he entered the Class C State Golf Championship Tournament on Grand Island’s Jackrabbit Run Golf Course.
As a few small commercial airplanes departed and landed at the Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island, and as Chinook helicopters raced overhead, while training sessions at the the Nebraska State Patrol’s training center in northeast Grand Island took part throughout the tournaments two-day run. The first half of Friesen’s opening day adventure in the tournament, he was spot on even, as his laser focused efforts led him to shooting an even par 36 through the front nine. But as the back nine hit during the opening day, four bogey holes plagued the Sutton senior to end day one with a four-over par 76.
Bring on day two, and the fiery Friesen duplicated his day one front nine round with an even par 36. After a pair of bogey shots sent him to six-over par following holes 10 and 11, it was as if the energized Friesen hit a switch inside the seat of his race car, that being a “nitrous oxide” switch of speed, a switch that propelled his golf game into a new realm of play.
Friesen birdied the 12th hole, one that he had a bogey on during the opening day 18-hole round, and it’s as if he sparked a fireworks display of sorts.
Friesen, after his 12th hole birdie, hit even par on the 13th, 14th, and 15th holes to stand at five over par, before the nitrous oxide shot of adrenaline hit this young man in a big way. Friesen, who was one over par during the first day on the final three holes was three under-par, with three straight birdies on the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes on the final day to propelled him into a solo fourth place finish in the state meet to end day two, finishing with a two day 146, or just two over the par for the course after 36 holes, which is 144.
As coach Randy Ahrens shared, following the 36 holes of play last week, “Jadyn had an outstanding senior year that I feel would rank up there with some of the great Sutton individual players over the years,” adding, “he placed at every event this year, three tournament championships, the Southern Nebraska Conference championship, and the C-4 District championship last week.
Friesen started out his final state meet run Wednesday morning in Grand Island as part of the top four final group, coming out of arguably the toughest Class C district meet in the state.
Finishing ahead of Friesen in the final standings were a pair of Kearney Catholic players, Nash Malone, who shot a five-under 139. The Stars Tate Redinger finished with a four-under 140, while Archbishop Bergen freshman, Jackson Luebbe wrapped up play with a three-under par 141.
Two constant local challengers, along with a Southern Nebraska Conference challenger for Friesen, finished just behind the Mustang senior, including Milford’s Zepher Mowinkel, who fired a 36-hole 148 to finish in a two-way tie for fifth with Doniphan-Trumbull’s Jett Hollister, while Grand Island Central Catholic’s Jack Alberts finished 10th overall with an eight-over par 151.
Top 10 Individuals:
1. Nash Malone, Kearney Catholic..................................... 71-68-139 2. Tate Redinger, Kearney Catholic.................................... 71-68-140 3. Jackson Luebbe, Archbishop Bergan............................. 71-70-141 4. Jadyn Friesen, Sutton.................................................... 76-70-146 5. Jett Holister, Doniphan-Trumbull.................................. 73-75-148 5. Zephyr Mowinkel, Milford............................................. 75-73-148 7. Callen Marshall.............................................................. 72-77-149 7. Boston Bojanski, Norfolk Catholic................................. 73-76-149 9. Trey Mooney, Archbishop Bergan.................................. 77-73-150 10. Jack Albers, Grand Island Central Catholic.................. 74-77-151 Top 5 Teams:
1. Kearney Catholic.........................................................302-291-593 2. Archbishop Bergan.....................................................301-301-602 3. Norfolk Catholic..........................................................312-315-627 4. Exeter-Milligan/Friend...............................................318-320-638 5. St. Paul........................................................................329-317-646
Jadyn Friesen, shown here putting on the seventh green at Jacrabbit Run Golf Course in Grand Island, fired scores of 76 and 70 to total 146 strokes during the two-day tournament, placing the Sutton senior fourth overall in the Class C field of 101 total golfers. TORY DUNCAN | CLAY COUNTY NEWS
