Litzelfelner powers Notre Dame to SEMO Conference golf tournament title

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Jack is back.

And so is the Notre Dame boys golf team.

Bulldogs senior Jack Litzelfelner's 68th stroke, a 5-foot putt, at the SEMO Conference Tournament did a victory lap around the hole before disappearing for eagle on the third green at Fox Haven Country Club.

It capped a dramatic return to tournament play for the 2013 Class 3 state champion and a dramatic change in the Bulldogs' fortunes this season.

Litzelfelner finished seven strokes ahead of the large-school division runner-up, which just happened to be junior teammate Jonathan Bell, as Notre Dame posted a 16-shot victory over defending champion Poplar Bluff.

Returning from a one-year suspension for a violation of school rules that cost him a shot at a second state title last year, Litzelfelner claimed his first conference title in his final attempt.

"I guess it's up there," Litzelfelner said about winning the conference title. "It's what I thought I would do. The biggest goal is state, senior year. It's just another step toward that, I guess."

Poplar Bluff and Jackson had been the top two combatants for team titles this season, finishing 1-2 in the three previous major tournaments. Jackson finished runner-up to the Mules in the season-opening Notre Dame Invitational, but the Indians most recently won the Poplar Bluff Invitational and their own Jackson Invitational.

A struggling Notre Dame team with two suspended seniors was nowhere to be found.

Cape Central's Kobe Franklin watches his tee shot on the sixth hole in the SEMO Conference Golf Tournament Monday, April 25, 2016 at Fox Haven Country Club in Sikeston, Missouri.Fred Lynch

"We took our lumps this season," Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim said. "There were times, when Jon was on retreat, we ended up down toward the bottom of the pack, and we're not used to that stuff."

Or as Bell stated after his 75, "It's about time we got something."

On Monday, Poplar Bluff and Jackson again were engaged in a tight battle, but this time it was for second, which the Mules claimed by one stroke with a 324.

However, the return of Litzelfelner and senior Lincoln Hunter, who shot an 82, altered the landscape.

"It shows the importance of Jack," said Central senior Kobe Franklin, the defending conference champion and longtime friend of Litzelfelner. "Anytime you can shoot in the 60s, that's good."

Especially on a day the wind provided constant defense for the flat, tree-lined par-71 layout.

"You were hitting two extra clubs on some holes," Franklin said. "It messed with your mind a little bit, especially when you've got cross-wind out of bounds."

The wind was blowing so hard, Litzelfelner was able to hit a pitching wedge 178 yards into the par-5 third hole on his second shot to set up his closing eagle.

By that time, Franklin, who shot a 5-over 76 and tied for third, had conceded victory and bumped fists with his playing partner after the laser shot at the pin.

The two players started their round on the fourth hole, and Franklin was a stroke ahead of Litzelfelner before making bogey at the par-3 13th to fall into a tie. Litzelfelner took a two-shot lead on the next hole, the par-5 14th, when he made birdie and Franklin bogeyed.

"He kind of capitalized on his opportunities, and I kind of went with the wind," Franklin said.

If there was ever any doubt, Litzelfelner played his final two holes at 3 under.

The players, who have been playing against each other in tournaments since the age of 10, casually chatted as they walked out to their lengthy drives on the final hole.

"It was good to get back playing with him," Franklin said. "I pretty much grew up with him playing. We were always going at it since we were little. If I can't win, I'm rooting for him."

Litzelfelner said the pairing was a good fit, in what was likely their final competitive round together in high school.

Jackson's Hunter Asher watches his tee shot on the fourth hole in the SEMO Conference Golf Tournament Monday, April 25, 2016 at Fox Haven Country Club in Sikeston, Missouri.Fred Lynch

"We were having fun," Litzelfelner said. "I'm glad I got to play with him. I didn't think I actually was going to get to play with him today, but I'm glad I did. [It was] the first time in a while."

Litzelfelner said it also was a good pairing for scoring.

"We definitely, like, feed off each other's energy," Litzelfelner said.

The Notre Dame team in general fed off the infusion of talent from their two seniors.

"Everybody on the team is just kind of coming together now," junior Caleb Schnurbush said.

Schnurbush typically had been providing the second-low score for the Bulldogs this season, but his 83 fell fourth in line at the conference tournament.

Poplar Bluff coach Billy Pyland said the score of a top-tier player can work its way through the rest of the team.

"It's more relaxing if you have a kid of Litz's caliber to kind of relax, and you know what's going to happen," Pyland said.

The 68 was the third in as many tournaments on the local scene, with Advance senior Brian Whitson providing the previous two in grabbing the medalist honor at the Jackson Invitational and Poplar Bluff Invitational.

Whitson settled for a 75 at Fox Haven, which was good enough to make him the small-school medalist for the third consecutive year.

He admitted to struggling with the speed of the greens, three-putting several holes.

Advance's Brian Whitson watches his drive on the 12th hole in the SEMO Conference Golf Tournament Monday, April 25, 2016 at Fox Haven Country Club in Sikeston, Missouri.Fred Lynch

"They weren't like super fast; I just didn't have them down," Whitson said. "I probably should have putted on them more. I was focusing on my irons on the range before we started because I knew the wind would be a little more challenging."

He had two double bogeys in his round.

"Damage control is what I've been doing, and I had two doubles today," Whitson said. "That's why my score is up there."

Jackson freshman Tanner Walton shot a 77, the lowest of Jackson's four counting scores that topped out at 83. The Indians were hopeful of their first conference title after shooting a 306 and a 309 in winning their last two tournaments.

"We didn't play terrible, we just didn't play really good for all of us," Jackson coach Zack Walton said.

Notre Dame, which had a string of four straight Class 3 District 1 titles broken last year, and the rest of the area teams will begin their drive for state tournaments with district tournaments next week.

That's why Bell welcomed the Bulldogs' long-awaited return to full strength

"Once it hits conference, that's when the season actually starts," Bell said.

Large Schools

Individual -- Jack Litzelfelner (ND) 68, Jonathan Bell (ND) 75, Kobe Franklin 76 (CC), Ethan Stevens 76 (S), Justin Capps (PB) 77, Tanner Walton (J) 77, Jake Richardson (PB) 80, Hunter Asher (J) 82, Lincoln Hunter (ND) 82, Nathan Woolard (PB) 83, Landry Moore (J) 83

NOTRE DAME (308) -- Jack Litzelfelner 68, Jonathan Bell 75, Lincoln Hunter 82, Caleb Schnurbush 83, Nathan Hulshof 85

POPLAR BLUFF (324) -- Justin Capps 77, Jake Richardson 80, Nathan Woolard 83, Justin Pierce 84, Analeise Pyland 102

JACKSON (325) -- Tanner Walton 77, Hunter Asher 82, Landry Moore 83, Ty Legrand 83, Case Englehart 89

CAPE CENTRAL (357) -- Kobe Franklin 76, Bennet Osburn 89, Dalton Drum 97, Dustin Lindsey 97, Kegan Bramlett 95

DEXTER ( 363) -- Ethan Stevens 76, Gavin White 86, Taylor Smith 99, Tristan Fish 102, Scott Stricler 104

SIKESTON (468) -- Luke Blanton 94, Logan Hampton 100, Hayli Howard 128, Olivia Nash 146

Small Schools

Individual -- Brian Whitson (A) 75, Karsten Short (SL) 85, Jon Montgomery 86 (C), Brett Jackson 92 (CW), Spence Lorch (A) 93, Carson Miles (A) 94, Hayden Tillman 94 (C), Olivia Voelker (SL) 96, Trevor Winchester 97 (C), Matt Rosson (D) 97

CARUTHERSVILLE (363) -- Jon Montgomery 86, Hayden Tillman 94, Trevor Winchester 97, Dalon Privett 108

ADVANCE (375) -- Brian Whitson 75, Spence Lorch 93, Carson Miles 94, Crey Miles 113

SAXONY LUTHERAN (383) -- Karsten Short 85, Olivia Voelker 96, Ben Daniel 100, Anton Rhodes 104, John Mueller 114

DONIPHAN (463) -- Matt Rosson 97, Logan Melson 114, Collin Friday 119, Sonja Kojo 133, Logan Ormsby 134

KELLY (483) -- Drew Keen 103, Dylan Sander 121, Aaron Graham 119, Trey Bolen 140, Bryan Rogers 140

MALDEN (501) -- Andrew Belcher 99, Cory Prentice 108, Johnny Kooyman 140, Daniel Rogers 154

CLEARWATER -- Brett Jackson 92, Skylar Starks 118, Maddie Moyian 133