Senior Alex Koquist earned boys medalist honors as Hermantown won the boys and girls team titles on the second and final day of the Section 7AA high school golf tournament on Tuesday at The Quarry at Giants Ridge.
Kolquist shot a 2-over-par 74 on Tuesday and finished with a 144, eight shots ahead of Dan Bidle of Virginia and nine shots ahead of Joe Kozlak of Duluth Marshall. Andrew Oakes (82-81--163; tied for sixth) and Andy Krasaway (83-81--164; ninth) also were in the top 10 as the Hawks finished with a 636, nine shots ahead of International Falls, in defending their section title.
The Hermantown girls, meanwhile, will be making their fifth state tournament appearance as Haley Wolfe (87-87--174; fourth) and Molly Kolquist (96-96--192; ninth) finished in the top 10. The Hawks finished with a 755, eight shots ahead of Virginia. Blue Devils junior Melissa Hill earned girls individual honors with a 165, eight shots ahead of teammate Emma Kishel and Amanda Yeager of Hibbing.
Casey Zins (81-93--174) finished two shots behind medalist Justin Rappl of Isle in leading Mesabi East to the Section 7A boys team title.
Sarah Eisenhuth (98-101--199; fourth) led Babbitt-Embarrass-Soudan-Tower to the Section 7A girls team title, while Haley Gudim of Isle (89-99--188) earned girls individual medalist honors.
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The winning teams and low five individuals not on those teams advance to the state tournament June 3-4. Class AA is at the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan, Minn., while Class A is at Pebble Creek in Becker, Minn.
EAST'S STENERSON STEPS DOWN
Duluth East golf coach Mike Stenerson has resigned after 30 years coaching the Greyhounds.
Stenerson, who recently retired after 34 years teaching, led the East boys to three second-place finishes at the state tournament and the East girls to a third-place finish. He has coached golfers in the state tournament in all but three of his 30 years, including Kyle Anderson, who won state titles in 1982 and 1983.
Stenerson also coached the Greyhounds' baseball team for seven years with Don Garnett and helped East take third at the state tournament in 1975.
Stenerson was voted Section 7AAA golf coach of the year this season.
