Notre Dame golfers occupy second at state tournament

The Notre Dame golf team is in an apparent two-team showdown for the Class 3 golf title at Sedalia Country Club in Sedalia, Mo.

The Bulldogs, seeking their first state championship in the sport, finished the first day of the two-round tournament two strokes behind MICDS, which posted a 308 total Monday.

Notre Dame freshman Jack Litzelfelner stood in the same position in the individual competition, sitting two shots off the lead after an opening-round of 2-over-par 72.

Litzelfelner was tied for second with MICDS freshman Andrew Brackbill Lilly. Warrenton's Ethan Luecke led the field with a 70.

Notre Dame's other three scores used for the team total were in a tight group with junior Brady Dixon and sophomore Jon Renner both at 79 and junior Nick Cantoni at 80. Senior Cody Cox opened with an 87.

Notre Dame has qualified as a team the past four years, but its highest finish was fifth in 2011 and 2012.

"We're all shooting pretty solid. We're really excited right now, being two back," Litzelfelner said in a telephone interview.

The Bulldogs were 10 strokes ahead of third-place St. Charles West.

Litzelfelner's round consisted of two birdies and four bogeys.

Litzelfelner knocked a 6-iron within 6 feet on the par 3 10th for birdie, then holed a 35-foot downhill birdie putt on the par 4 13th.

"My putter was on the whole time," Litzelfelner said. "I missed a couple putts inside like 10 feet, but I made a lot of stuff. That's why I shot so good."

Litzelfelner has been Notre Dame's top scorer for much of the season.

"This kid has done this all year long," Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim said. "He's best under pressure. I had no doubt that he'd be up there toward the lead."

In addition to Lilly, MICDS's team score also was comprised of Sohil Desai (75), Michael John O'keefe (79) and Brian Trelstad (82).

In Class 1, St. Vincent junior Levi Gotto was alone in fourth place just two strokes off the lead after opening with a 6-over-par 78 at Silo Ridge Golf Club in Bolivar, Mo. A stroke back in fifth place was Advance freshman Brian Whitson.

Barat Academy's Trevor Cronin led the field with a 76, one shot ahead of Tarkio's Derek Lane Rohlfsen and McAuley Catholic's Connor Schlegel.

Saxony Lutheran senior Collin Sprandel shot an 85, while St. Vincent senior Kelly Welker, the lone girl in the field, carded a 94.

In the Class 4 competition at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Mo., junior Travis Simmons led Central's three qualifiers with a 4-over-par 76.

Sophomore Luke Kinder carded a 79, while freshman Kobe Franklin shot 82.

Simmons was tied for 11th, seven shots behind leader Adam Lechner of Kearney, who shot a 3-under-par 69. The Class 4 District 1 champion took a triple bogey on the par-4 13th after hitting his tee shot out of bounds. Simmons regrouped and made two birdies over the remainder of his round.

"He's still in the running," Central coach Dick Wadlington said. "Scores can change quite a bit. He obviously didn't play bad, but it wasn't one of his better days. He didn't make many putts.

"He's playing well enough and solid enough that he can come back and do better than that tomorrow. The kids that do well the first day aren't always the ones that do well the second day."

Kinder was 1 over with four holes to play but stumbled home with a pair of double bogeys.

The top 15 finishers in each class earn all-state honors.