A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
Sam Baker plays to fourth place at the Boys Class AA state tournament last year.
After a stellar season last year, members of the Cloquet-Esko boys golf team are ready to hit the links as soon as the snow melts ... again. Pictured in the back row, from left, are Jacob Walsh, Anthony McKay, Sam Baker, Brayden Tyman, Karson Patten, Keegan Poppenberg and Garrett Pollard. Front row, from left, are Trevor Steinert, Cooper Ellena, Dylan Klatte and Anders Gunelson.
The Cloquet-Esko boys and girls golf teams are ready to hit the links for the upcoming 2019 high school season.
Fresh off a fourth-place finish a year ago at the Boys Class AA state golf tournament, the Lumberjack boys team is seeking to repeat as section champions and look toward another state tournament berth. Now recognized as one of the top teams in the state, the Lumberjacks have been invited to several top invitational tournaments across the state of Minnesota.
Leading the way for the Lumberjacks is a youth movement featuring sophomore Sam Baker, who finished fourth overall last year. Senior Keegan Poppenberg will lead the 'Jacks as one of only two seniors on the roster along with Garrett Pollard.
Zeb Wehr and Anthony McKay are the only juniors on the team, both with state tournament experience last year. Add in three more sophomores - Brayden Tyman, Trevor Steinert and Nolan Dickenson - and the Lumberjacks will be a force in the local golf scene.
"It's nice to see the boys team get the notoriety they deserve," said head girls coach Matt Carlson. "They were a little under the radar last year, but now everyone knows of the talent they have."
Middle school students Dylan Klatte, Carson Patten, Cooper Ellena and Anders Gunelson round out the team.
The boys season is scheduled to begin Monday, April 22, when they open in Stillwater. That will be followed by a strong test at Edinburgh Golf Course in the Twin Cities, and another strong challenge in the beginning of May at Dacotah Ridge Golf Course in Lakeville.
Brianna Demers and Kaylee Anderson are the two lone seniors on the girls team this season. Much like the boys, the girls have a group of young players fighting their way on the courses this spring.
Alisha Broneak, Hannah Lundborg, Gracie Chartier, Kate Owens and Taylor Anderson are the five juniors on this year's team. Other youthful but athletic players include three sophomores, Ana Hamann, Ashley Zink and Mireye Moose; two freshman, Maddie Young and Abby McKay; and four middle school students, Abby Steinert, Avery Carlson, Juli Steinert and Merissa Witte. The girls team will be in class AAA - playing as CEC with Carlton and Esko - while the boys feature Cloquet and Esko golfers.
The girls season will kick off Friday, May 3, at Mesaba Country Club in Virginia, followed by a meet in Moose Lake the following Monday.
