North Platte’s Abbie Jones watches her drive on No. 10 during the Bulldogs match with Gothenburg on Thursday at the River’s Edge Golf Club.
Tim Johnson / The North Platte Telegraph
Maya Lashley started Thursday afternoon 2-under par through four holes.
While she couldn’t quite maintain that early momentum, the North Platte High School senior still finished with a nine-hole round of 38 at River’s Edge Golf Club.
“I had a couple bogeys that threw me off track but it ended up being a pretty good day,” Lashley said after the Bulldogs dual with Gothenburg.
That has been the case for North Platte throughout the year. That success continued against the Swedes.
Karsen Morrison and Baylee Steele shot rounds of 35 and 37, respectively, and the Bulldogs five varsity members all finished within a dozen strokes of one other.
North Platte finished with a score of 151 to beat the Swedes by 55 strokes.
Gothenburg, led by Annica Harm’s round of 44, had a team score of 206. Ellarey Harm and MacKenzie Bogus had a round of 51 and 54, respectively, for the Swedes.
The matchup was a bit of a break for both teams as they prepare for the final week of the regular season and the district meet that follows.
Gothenburg coach Tara Foster said it felt almost like a practice round but there were things she wanted her team to take away from the day.
“It was a chance to compete against a team that has been shooting very well,” Foster said. “It was to see how we match up going into our conference and our district (meets).”
She added the course presented some lessons for her team as well.
“I know some of (the players) struggled with the trees today,” Foster said. “We don’t have the (amount of) trees at Wild Horse (Golf Club) where we practice. It gave us good practice because we play at Grand Island (for the Class C district meet) and there are a lot of trees there. This gave us a good look at what we need to practice on.”
The Bulldogs host both the GNAC meet next Friday and a Class A-1 district meet Oct. 5-6. North Platte coach Jim Orcutt said the comfort on playing both tournaments at the team’s home at Lake Maloney Golf Course.
“It’s not like basketball where the courts are the same size and the baskets are the same height,” Orcutt said. “The holes are in different locations and there are a lot more variables in golf. Then its also nice to be able to sleep in your own bed.”
Lashley said the Bulldogs are a focused group with the postseason approaching.
“I think we have played pretty strong all season and have the potential to go out and finish (the year) how we want to do it,” Lashley said.
Orcutt said the team will take a field trip to the Norfolk County Club this weekend, where the Class A state meet will be played this year.
“There is a long way to go (to get there),” Orcutt said. “We just want to see how (the course) looks.”
NORTH PLATTE (151): Baylee Steele 37, Karsen Morrison 35, Maya Lashley 38, Abbie Jones 47, Kaylee Carlson 41.
GOTHENBURG (206): Annica Harm 44, MacKenzie Bogus 57, Jada Rubalcava 54, Ellarey Harm 51, Maeve McCoy 75.
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