COLUMBUS – Pierce’s Abram Scholting secured a top 10 finish at the Class C boys golf state championships on Wednesday.
He might have also earned the top score by any self-proclaimed “football player who plays golf.”
Scholting wrapped up his high school athletic career by placing sixth with a two-day total of 159 at Elks Country Club.
“This means a lot,” Scholting said. “Last year, it was a struggle at state. I actually got the shanks last year at state, so it feels good to come here and do a lot better and place within the top 10. I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Scholting shot a second-round 82 to go along with Tuesday’s 77.
“It definitely could have been better,” he said. “My putting was off. I was hitting the ball well. I just wasn’t finding the bottom of the cup on the greens. But I battled through it and placed top 10.”
Pierce coach Zach Weber said Scholting displayed his mental strength on a day in which things were a struggle.
“He bounces back extremely well,” he said. “He does a great job of that. His putter wasn’t working for him all day, and the way he handled that was awesome because if the putter is not going – if you are not making those 5-footers and definitely nothing outside of that – it becomes a really hard game.”
The 13th hole proved to be an unlucky one for Scholting, who double bogeyed it on both days.
“Two days in a row that was a devil, and for two different reasons,” Weber said.
In this round, already in a bad spot, Scholting clipped a branch on his downswing on his second shot, putting him in worse position.
“Second shot didn’t pan out both days,” he said. “It is what it is. Swallow your medicine and get out of there and try to get the lowest score you can.”
Weber said Scholting should be proud of what he accomplished.
“I can bet not too many kids from Pierce have been in the final group of the final day of the state tournament,” Weber said. “That in itself is an honor. He’s had a great year.”
And Scholting did express pride in his finish.
“Coming into this tournament I told myself if I got top 10 it would be successful,” he said. ”I’m kind of a football player who plays golf. I’m just out here having fun and trying to do the best I can.”
Scholting said it’s been fun to golf for his spring sport. That included three trips to the state tournament, twice in Class B before the Bluejays moved down a class this year.
“It’s been something that’s relaxing most of the time,” he said. “It’s something that I can do that challenges me mentally, just to stay focused. Like on 13, you have a bad hole, how can you bounce back from that? Challenge yourself in those areas, and it’s a game that I love.”
Now he turns back into that football player. He reports Sunday for the Shrine Bowl before joining the University of Nebraska-Kearney program.
Scholting is looking forward to the Shrine Bowl.
“I’ve had a few teammates who went through it and said it’s an awesome experience,” he said. “I’m glad I get to experience it, and I’m going to play my best.”
Pierce shot 10 strokes higher than in the first round to finish seventh in the team race with a 698, one stroke behind Tekamah-Herman.
“I’m really proud of our guys for the season that we had,” Weber said. “Today could have gone better, for sure. We had a couple of our guys struggle, especially scoring. I thought we navigated the course OK, but around the greens we really, really, really had some issues across the board.”
Ponca was 10th (717), Norfolk Catholic 12th (721) and North Bend Central 13th (734).
Team scoring: Kearney Catholic 320-309–629, Grand Island Central Catholic 323-329–652, Yutan 338-341–679, Amherst 344-340–684, Lincoln Christian 347-342–689, Tekamah-Herman 346-351–697, Pierce 344-354–698, Heartland 358-343–701, Lincoln Lutheran 372-333–705, Ponca 358-359–717, Mitchell 352-369–721, Norfolk Catholic 362-359–721, North Bend Central 371-363–734, St. Paul 374-371–745, Syracuse 375-384–759.
Jackson Dunham, Kearney Catholic 74-75–149
Bowdie Fox, Grand Island Central Catholic 77-75–152
Noah Carpenter, Palmyra 81-73–154
Cael Peters, Mitchell 78-77–155
Jack Alberts, Grand Island Central Catholic 78-79–157
Austin Adelung, Amherst 80-79–159
Abram Scholting, Pierce 77-82–159
Samuel Wells, St. Paul 84-76–160
Nash Malone, Kearney Catholic 82-78–160
Alexander Schademann, Fillmore Central 81-79–160
Landon Edeal, Kearney Catholic 84-77–161
Jude Elgert, Yutan 78-83–161
Jaylin Jakub, Aquinas 77-84–161
Jacob Regier, Heartland 83-79–162
Craighton Friesen, Heartland 79-83–162
Jace Wahls, Ponca 82-83–165
Bret Brenneis, Tekamah-Herman 85-81–166
Grant Sprakel, Ponca 83-84–167
Brody Rogers, Tekamah-Herman 80-88–168
Travis Emory, Pierce 84-86–170
Owen Anderson, Oakland-Craig 83-87–170
Gavin Yosten, Norfolk Catholic 87-89–176
Jacob Wright, North Bend Central 89-88–177
Ben Jorgensen, Tri County Northeast 89-90–179
Griffen Breckenridge, Tekamah-Herman 86-93–179
Jacksen Wachholtz, Pierce 85-94–179
Luke Beckman, Battle Creek 85-95–180
Ryan Hrbek, Guardian Angels CC 93-89–182
Landon Mimick, North Bend Central 92-91–183
Callen Marshall, Norfolk Catholic 89-95–184
Ashten Cunningham, Norfolk Catholic 91-93–184
Karter Kerkman, Norfolk Catholic 97-88–185
Thatcher Zink, Tekamah-Herman 95-92–187
Gage Yosten, Norfolk Catholic 95-92–187
Miguel Balvantin, Ponca 93-95–188
Zachary Pospisil, North Bend Central 95-93–188
Wyatt Rangeloff, North Bend Central 95-94–189
Nikolas Harvey, Pierce 98-95–193
Myles Fethkenher, Ponca 100-101–201
Dalton Svoboda, Pierce 100-102–202
Caden Booth, Tekamah-Herman 104-101–205
Austin Dendinger, Ponca 109-100–209
Nolan Williams, North Bend Central 112-123–235