Pohlmann settles for fourth place

LINCOLN - Most juniors would be elated after winning a third straight medal at the state golf tournament.

Lakeview's Greg Pohlmann might disagree as he wore a slightly disgusted look on his face after Wednesday's final round.

After finishing seventh in 2005 and ninth in 2006, Pohlmann had mixed emotions as he captured a fourth-place medal with a two-day total of 145 at the Class B tournament at Mahoney Golf Course.

“I'm a little disappointed because I thought I would have had a little run at the championship,” the Viking junior said. “But finishing fourth after how I played, I'm pretty happy with that.”

Sidney took the team title as it edged Scottsbluff 604-607. The Red Raiders also took home the individual medalist in Kyle Huus, who fired a two-day total of 137.

Schuyler's Derek Hull also earned a medal as he finished in a tie for fifth with a score of 147. Boone Central's Bobby Bolin fired a 78 for a tournament total of 157.

After finishing the first day in fifth place with a 73, Pohlmann looked like he was not going to have much of a problem getting back into the championship hunt.

On the par-5 first hole, he made a perfect putt from the top of the green that stopped next to the hole, where the junior finished with a birdie.

In fact, Pohlmann was 2-under par after the first seven holes, but he bogeyed his last two holes on the front nine and finished with an even-par 35 at the turn.

“I started off strong on the front nine, but struggled once I got to the end of it,” Pohlmann said. “I gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities, but I just couldn't putt very well. For some reason, I didn't have my putter today.”

Pohlmann would not record another birdie for the reminder of the tournament, but came close on the final hole when the ball stopped less than an inch from the hole.

Lakeview coach Ryan Specht said he feels Pohlmann, who finished with a 72, will use the fourth-place showing as motivation for the offseason to help improve his game. He added that Pohlmann shouldn't feel too disappointed with his finish.

“When you have a golfer as good as Greg, you know he will look back and think it was a couple of strokes that got him,” Specht said. “But I thought he played real well for two days and did an outstanding job. The eighth and ninth holes got him a little bit, but I thought he bounced back really well on the back nine and did a nice job. I know Greg will play in a lot of tournaments this summer, and hopefully he can keep improving to become a better golfer.”

As for Hull, the second day didn't go as well as the first day. After finishing in second place with a 69, the Warrior senior struggled as he fired a six-over par 78, but still came away with medal.

Unlike Tuesday where it seemed everything was going good for the Central Community College recruit, Hull's short game cost him a top-three finish. Hull said he missed putts he would normally make, especially on the No. 8, where he three-putted for a bogey.

“I just couldn't get anything going today,” Hull said. “It seemed everything went wrong for me. I thought my short game was just freezing cold today. My lag putts were crappy, and I just couldn't get my putter going today for some reason.”

The state tournament was only Hull's fourth tournament this year after he was sidelined following a knee surgery to fix an injury he suffered in basketball.

Schuyler coach Tom Hagewood said the injury didn't affect Hull because he's been at the state golf meet the past four years.

“He plays kind of high-risk golf, so when everything clicks, it clicks. I know he's disappointed because he would say that most days he would beat the score he fired today,” Hagewood said. “But we're proud of him. He's kept his game and did a fairly decent job on the back nine. He finished fifth out of 80, who are the best in the state.”

Hull said he is still happy to finish his career with a medal.

“It feels pretty good to place at state no matter what,” Hull said. “Even though I didn't shoot my best today, to finish in the top five is pretty exciting.”

Class B boys state tournament

Final round results

Wednesday at Mahoney Golf Course

n Team Standings-1. Sidney 304-300-604; 2. Scottsbluff 315-292-607; 3. Gretna 316-297-613; 4. Gering 318-305-623; 5. Grand Island Northwest 319-306-625; 6. Nebraska City 319-313-632; 7. Blair 319-318-637; 8. Fairbury 320-320-640; 9. Adams Central 325-320-645; 10. Waverly 328-317-645; 11. O'Neill 331-324-655; 12. Wayne 333-328-661.

n Individual Top 10-1. Kyle Huus, Sidney, 68-69-137; 2. Austin Miller, Gering, 70-70-140; 3. Jared Gustafson, Gretna, 74-70-144; 4. Greg Pohlmann, Lakeview, 73-72-145; 5t. Derek Hull, Schuyler, 69-78-147; 5t. Nathan Cox, GINW, 75-72-147; 7t. John Cantril, Scottsbluff, 79-69-148; 7t. Richard Schneider, West Point, 75-73-148; 9. Ben Deines, Beatrice, 76-73-149; 10t. Glenn Bills, GINW, 77-73-150; 10t. Matthew Landen, Scottsbluff, 78-72-150.

n Lakeview (NTS)-Greg Pohlmann 73-72-145.

n Boone Central (NTS)-Bobby Bolin 79-78-157.

n Schuyler (NTS)-Derek Hull 69-78-147.