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Middleton rules Big Eight golf

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EVANSVILLE — Nick Johnson helped the Middleton High boys golf team make it a clean sweep at Thursday’s Big Eight Conference meet.

The junior defeated Madison Memorial’s Tim McCormick in a one-hole playoff to win medalist honors and help Middleton win the 10-team title at Evansville Golf Club.

Middleton finished with a 311 total, while Verona was four shots back at 318.

Janesville Craig, thanks to a third-place finish from Greg Ruef, was third at 325. Janesville Parker struggled on the par-72 course and finished 10th at 382.

After a blistering 1-under-par 35 on the back nine vaulted Johnson into a tie for the low round with a 74, he needed only one hole to claim medalist honors.

Playing No. 1—a 351-yard, par-4 that doglegs sharply to the left—Johnson and McCormick both found trouble off the tee. McCormick blasted a 6-iron off the tee through the fairway and into the trees on No. 2, while McCormick’s ball nestled under a tree in the rough. Both golfers were over the green in three, but Johnson was able to get up and down for a bogey. McCormick had a short bogey putt to force a second playoff hole but it lipped out.

“Neither one of us played the hole very well, but I think we both thought our drives would be in the fairway when we hit them,” Johnson said of the playoff hole. “Once I tapped in for bogey, I knew the best he could do was tie me.

“Coming into today, I was hoping to put up a score under 75. I gave myself a chance to do that throughout the round with some good shots, but I missed a lot of putts. But it turned out to be a pretty good day.”

Ruef’s 77 was the early leader in the clubhouse. He shot 41 on the front nine, but came back with an even-par 36 on the back.

Although he’s only played the Evansville course twice, Ruef likes the layout.

“The greens run really smooth and the fairways are cut nice,” Ruef said. “It was a little windy today, but I thought if I could shoot 77 that would be a pretty good score. And that’s what I shot.”

The Cougars, who finished 6-3 during the Big Eight dual meet season, got solid rounds from the top four golfers. Ian Larson and Jeff Hesse both fired 81s, while Ryan McCrory added an 86.

With the WIAA Division 1 sectional meet at Riverside Golf Course in Janesville, Ruef is hoping that the Cougars can finish among the top four teams at the Elkhorn Regional.

“Our focus is on regionals, but if we can get through there as a team, then we have the sectional meet on our home course,” Ruef said. “It would probably take a team score of about 310 at the sectional meet to qualify for state, and that would mean at least three guys shoot in the 70s, but we’re certainly capable of that.”

Senior Eric Benzel led Parker with an 83, while freshman Dustin Richards added an 87.

Craig and Parker will compete in the Elkhorn Regional on Tuesday.

Big Eight At Evansville Golf Club (Par 72)

TEAM SCORES

Middleton 311, Verona 318, Janesville Craig 325, Madison West 327, Madison Memorial 330, Sun Prairie 340, Beloit Memorial and Madison East 341, Madison La Follette 347, Janesville Parker 382.

MEDAL LEADERS

x1. Nick Johnson (Middleton), 74; 2. Ben McCormick (Memorial), 74; 3. Greg Ruef (Craig), 77; 4. Mitch Feller (Verona), 77; 5. Randy Lewis (Verona), 77; 6. Tom Huepenbecker (Middleton), 78; 7. Quinn Moe (Middleton), 79; 7. Howie Statz (West), 79; 9. Mike Schilling Middleton), 79; 10. Andrew Steinhofer (Middleton), 80.

x—won playoff on first hole.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Middleton (311)—Mike Schilling, 39-40—79; Nick Johnson, 39-35—74; Dave Giacomin, 41-39—80; Tom Huepenbecker, 43-35—78.

Verona (318)—Randy Lewis, 39-38—77; Mitch Feller, 41-36—77; Cameron Bathe, 45-35—80; Eric Duffey, 41-43—84.

Craig (325)—Greg Ruef, 41-36—77; Ian Larson, 43-38—81; Jeff Hesse, 43-38—81; Ryan McCrory, 44-42—86.

West (327)—Gus Griffin, 46-38—84; Howie Statz, 42-37—79; Mike Dolinsky, 44-37—81; Mike Luedtke, 47-42—89.

Memorial (330)—Tim McCormick, 38-36—74; Quinn Moe, 42-37—79; Shane Cook, 49-41—90; Eric Lockard, 46-41—87.

Sun Prairie (340)—Tyler Cobb, 41-39—80; Colin Lane, 46-40—86; Travis Kroll, 42-343—85; Ian Keats, 46-43—89.

Beloit (341)—Ethan Dahlberg, 43-40—83; Nolan Meier, 47-40—87; Chris Day, 42-41—83; Brody Mauel, 46-42—88.

East (341)—Andy Johnson, 47-40—87; Tyler Kubicek, 45-35—80; Jake Bergstrom, 46-40—80; Andy Stephenson, 45-43—88.

La Follette (347)—Andrew Steinhofer, 44-36—80; Jacob Feurstein, 48-43—91; Kevin Douglass, 45-42—87; Matt Polycn, 47-42—89.

Parker (382)—Eric Benzel, 43-40—83; Tyler Brossard, 58-54—112; Dustin Richards, 43-44—87; Peyton Graham, 53-47—100.