Golfers win Baird tournament

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions boys golf team tuned up for district competition Thursday, March 24 by winning the team title at the Baird Invitational at Shady Oaks Golf Course.

All five individuals broke 90 as the Lions posted a team score of 339 on the same course that will host the District 10-2A tournament on Monday, April 4 and Wednesday, April 6.

“That’s best team score we’ve shot even going back to last year,” coach Tate Thompson said. “If we can shoot that at Shady Oaks, we’ll win district easily. If we can do it at regional, we’ve got a really good shot of getting out.”

The top two teams and top two individuals from the district tournament qualify for the Region II-2A tournament scheduled for April 18-19 at Old Brickyard Golf Course in Ferris.

Thompson said the win came against a field that included several larger schools such as Wall, Jim Ned and Merkel.

Lute Wheeler and Ayden Balliew both shot 83 to tie for sixth individually. Ty Richards shot 86, Luke Marshall added an 87, and Houston Heatly rounded out the lineup with an 89.

“Heatly is our No. 2 golfer,” Thompson said. Anytime the other guys can pick up the slack is huge for us.”

Brody Brown shot 114 playing as a medalist entry.

In the girls division, on Wednesday, March 23, Myleigh Leveridge played in her first competition at the high school level, competing as a medalist.