Olson medals at Class A state golf tournament in Sidney

All season, Brooklyn Olson has been the standout golfer for the Ronan Maidens’ golf team and during the Class A state golf tournament Thursday through Saturday at Sidney Golf Course in Sidney was no exception.

For the second consecutive season Olson medalled, finishing sixth in this year’s tournament. Last spring, she medalled in the Class B state competition and this year she finished in the top-10, firing a 98 on the day one and cut nine strokes during the second day of the competition.

Maidens’ coach Frank Ciez said he felt Olson lived up to her potential in the Class A state tournament.

“Brooklyn had a good tournament, but didn’t do what she wanted to do on the first day,” Ciez said. “She was disappointed on the first day. The second day of the tournament, she shot a great round for her and was very, very pleased. She just came back fantastically in the second day. She was able to cut a bunch of strokes off of her game and I was very pleased with how she did in the second day.”

Ronan’s freshman golfer Madyson Running Crane shot a total of 231, but remained consistent. Running Crane recorded a 114 round on the first day and on the second day she shot a 117.

“She has a birdie on one of her holes and that was one of her better scores of the year,” Ciez said. “The second day she did pretty good and placed in the middle of the pack. I was very pleased that she played some good golf in the state tournament. She had her ups and downs (on the course), had some good holes and was very competitive.”

Ciez said he felt all of his participants for his boys and girls team earned their spot at the Class A golf tournament.

“All of those kids qualified and they earned their way to the state tournament,” Ciez said. “At state, those are the best golfers around and our kids can be around golfers that have the same aspirations as themselves and the same goal to do well on the course. It’s also a great opportunity for the kids to know other golfers around the Western A and now they’ll see people that they know and enjoy their company. The state tournament is a good positive atmosphere for all of the golfers and the atmosphere at state is a fun place to be around. There are positive people. The coaches and the spectators are positive in nature.”

Ciez said his golfers were challenged by the nature of the course.

“The course was up and down,” Ciez said. “There were some flat spots with hills and the leaves of the trees were turning. If those leaves fell, it was not going to be easy to find a golf ball on Friday and Saturday.”

Chiefs’ golfer Anthony Camel, who qualified for the state after a seven-way tie for 30th place at Divisionals, capitalized on his opportunity to play at state. Camel fired a 197 for his two-day total. The first day he shot a 102 and cut seven strokes off of his game with a 95.

“Each golfer that participated in state would say that they did the best that each person could do,” Ciez said. “I think everyone would say that they ‘could do a little bit better’ which is nice.”