Brainerd freshman earns medal honors

BREEZY POINT -- In only his third attempt at playing Deacon's Lodge Golf Course, and in his first varsity meet, Brainerd Warrior boys' golfer Lucas Brick had a little beginner's luck Tuesday.

Brick, a freshman, shot a 7-over-par 79 to earn medalist honors at the Ranger/Patriot Invitational.

"My short game was really good," said Brick. "I couldn't get off the tee. I hit only two fairways, but I was making everything."

In his other two rounds at Deacon's, Brick couldn't break 80. It was a spectacular round for Brick as he finished with no birdies, but only one double-bogey.

"I thought whatever happens, happens," said Brick. "Coming in I knew it wasn't all on me as far as the team is concerned. We have a couple of older people on the team so I just went out and tried to do my best."

The Warriors finished second behind Shattuck-St. Mary's with a 338. Tim Ranweiler tied for eighth with an 83. Staples-Motley and Wadena-Deer Creek tied for third, but the tie breaker went to S-M. Andrew Murray led the Cardinals with an 84.

Mike Grieme, who won the tournament last year as a freshman, led the Wolverines with an 82. That score was good for sixth place individually.

Pequot Lakes, led by Jeremy Wiczek's eighth-place 83, finished fifth. Crosby-Ironton finished eighth followed by Pine River-Backus in ninth.

C-I's Ricky Aulie and PR-B's Logan Sasse tied for third with 81s. Sasse, the only area boy to advance to the state tournament last year, says he's happy with his game.

"I played well," said Sasse. "It was a beautiful day out. I played fairly good, except for the last hole, which I doubled. I've always played pretty well here. This course has always been good to me.

"I still have work to do, though. My drives haven't been there, and my putting. Besides that, everything else is good. I'm hitting a lot of greens in regulation."

Sasse's main goal is to make it back to the Class 1A state tournament at Izatys. His coach, Mark Gonnion, says he's changed his mental game and is approaching each shot with a different attitude.

"It's going to take a lot of what I've been doing lately," Sasse said of returning to state, "a lot of conservative golf. Just keeping my head straight, getting good grades and playing my game."

The junior has played well so far this year. He's won two Mid-Minnesota Conference meets and placed high in every invitational he's played. One reason is because there's a target on his back.

"A lot of these tournaments, I'm the only kid returning from state last year," Sasse said. "It puts a little bit of pressure on you, but I love that feeling, to tell you the truth. I like that pressure. It makes me play better when I have that pressure. It makes me really concentrate and focus on what I have to do."

Team scores -- 1-Shattuck-St. Mary's 335, 2-Brainerd 338, 3-Staples-Motley 347, 4-Wadena-Deer Creek 347, 5-Pequot Lakes 349, 6-Park Rapids 359, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 363, 8-Crosby-Ironton 375, 9-Pine River-Backus 382

Individual medalist -- Lucas Brick (B) 79

Brainerd results -- Tim Ranweiler 83, Zach Lundbohm 85, Paul Erickson 91, Tom Morgan 94

Crosby-Ironton results -- Ricky Aulie 81, Joe Bauer 95, Kris Boike 97, Jamin Cousins 102, Bill Gottsch 117

Pequot Lakes results -- Jeremy Wiczek 83, Josh Dale 86, Dan Albertson 89, Nathan Larson 91, Andrew Kraft 94

Pine River-Backus results -- Logan Sasse 81, Tyler Johnson 87, Casey Stark 99, Cory Swenson 115

Staples-Motley results -- Andrew Murray 84, Travis Wilson 86, Pat Helling 88, Cory Wilson 89, Isaac Landecker 92

Wadena-Deer Creek results -- Mike Grieme 82, Mike Mans 88, Brennen Truax 88, Mike Weber 89, Andy Hillesland 99

Next meet -- Crosby-Ironton, Pequot Lakes, Staples-Motley, Wadena-Deer Creek at Brainerd Invitational, at the Classic, at Madden's, 3 p.m. Thursday.