Card boys' golf: Alexandria wins at Minnewaska invitational

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The Alexandria boys’ golf coach Rick Larson sent a young team to Minnewaska to get some varsity experience this past Saturday and the group got a lesson in how tough it can be to overcome the elements during a Minnesota spring.

The eight-team field was greeted by 42 degrees and a cold, steady rain for most of the round. Alexandria persevered through it all to pick up a win with a team score of 358. That helped this team edge Minnewaska by three strokes on the Lakers’ home course.

“It was quite a learning experience for a young team,” Larson said. “If nothing else, the players now know how they have to prepare for whatever the conditions are. I will say that a few of our players were prepared and played well considering the conditions. It is usually more of a mental battle than anything else and the team in general handled it pretty well.”

Freshman Aaron Johnson was one of those players, as he finished with a fourth-place medal. He overcame a triple bogey on the front to shoot an 85 and lead his team in scoring. Brady Bast shot an 88, Dan Hennessy a 90 and Casey Chermak a 95 to round out the Cardinals’ scoring.

“Now the guys who played today know that this is Minnesota golf and sometimes the playing conditions are very tough,” Larson said. “Mentally preparing is as important, or maybe even more important, than physically preparing. Although it was a very young team with three freshmen and two sophomores, they were able to grind out a win.”

MINNEWASKA INVITE

TEAM SCORES – 1. Alexandria – 358; 2. Minnewaska – 361; 3. Melrose – 362; 4. BBE – 364; 5. Morris Area – 367; 6. West Central Area – 390; 7. Paynesville – 453; 8. Long Prairie-Grey Eagle – 545

ALEXANDRIA SCORES – Johnson – fourth place, 85; Bast – 88; Hennessey – 90; Chermak – 95; Cole Haugen – 96; Brandon Bistodeau – 97

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