Badger duffers enjoy busy season

By Mike Weland

For the Herald

The Bonners Ferry Badgers Golf team has enjoyed a surprisingly successful season for such a young team, and on Monday they edged Kellogg by nine strokes in district play to win the district title.

The Badgers travel to the Prairie Falls Golf Course in Post Falls Monday, April 14, to compete at state.

In Intermountain League play, the Badgers finished the season in second place, trailing Kellogg by a single stroke.

Some highlights of the season included a ninth place finish April 13 at the Chewelah Invitational, where 23 teams competed over 18 holes. Taylor Garbutt led the Badger effort with 87, followed by Carey Reynolds, 89, Trevor Koberstein, 88, Dillon Deitz, 99 and Derek Deitz, 94.

In a home meet against Clark Fork April 19, the Badgers dominated despite less-than perfect conditions, winning the dual 164 to 263. Garbutt again led with 39 strokes, Reynolds and Koberstein both came in with 41, Dillon Deitz shot 43, and Derek Deitz 47. Zach Callister shot an 84 and Dalton Grainger came in at 85 in JV action, and Lindsey Vogel shot 61 for the Lady Badgers.

In their first league match April 21, only four players took the field and managed to eke out a one-stroke win over Kellogg. Missing in action for the Badgers was team leader Garbutt, but Reynolds, Koberstein and the Deitz brothers finished with a mere two point spread; Reynolds and Dillon 85, Koberstein 86, and Derek hitting 87 to win with 343 strokes to Kellogg's 344.

Kellogg avenged the loss at the next IML meet in Priest River April 28, out-shooting the Badgers by 11 strokes, led by Kyle Finley, who shot a 69. Reynolds led the Badger effort at 76 strokes, Koberstein came in with 77, Garbutt finished at 80, Derek at 81 and Dillon finished with 91.

On May 1, the Badgers traveled to St. Maries on a beautiful day for golf and had a great day, beating the Lumberjacks by 23 strokes, carding a team score of 162. Garbutt and Koberstein both finished with 40 strokes, the Deitz brothers both shot 41 and Reynolds came in with 43. Though the JV team wasn't able to finish due to time constraints, Derrick Alt came in just under the wire with a respectable 47 and Vogel, the sole member of the girl's squad, carded her first birdie, setting her tee shot a mere 15-feet from hole 4, then sinking the putt.

On May 3, the Badgers came in at the top of a double dual at Mirror Lake against Priest River and Timberlake, with Garbutt leading everyone with a 39. The Badgers finished with 166 strokes, Priest River shot 217 and Timberlake came in with 253. Dillon Deitz carded a 40 in the match, Reynolds came in with 43, Derek Deitz with 44 and Koberstein finished with 48. The Badgers were the only team fielding a JV squad, and Alt led the shooting with 48 strokes. Kyle Russell came in with 58, Zach Callister 71 and Dalton Grainger 76. Vogel finished with 71.

The finale of the season thus far came on Monday, with the Badgers carding 340 to beat rival Kellogg by nine strokes.

"It was a tough course, especially on the back nine," coach Chad Deitz said. "It was breezy, but these guys did a great job."

Despite only four members finishing. Derek Deitz took the green despite feeling ill, and gave it a good try, but wasn't able to finish.

Garbutt, who was hitting as good as he has all season, according to his coach, stumbled a bit on the putts, but carded an 84 to lead the Badger effort, followed by Koberstein, 85, Reynolds, 89, and Dillon Deitz, 92. Kellogg's Kyle Finley led all duffers, carding an 83.

The win puts the Badgers and Kellogg in the state tournament from the IML, and Garbutt, Reynolds and Koberstein all qualified for individual play.

Coach Deitz predicts a tough go at the state level, especially against Shelley, who field a well rounded team that has dominated A-3 level play, but he says it's going to be a great tourney.