Tigers finish fourth, Stevens Point wraps up conference title

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

MARSHFIELD — The Marshfield boys golf team cemented its spot in fourth place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference after finishing fourth at the sixth leg of the seven-meet tournament on Tuesday at RiverEdge Golf Course.

Marshfield had a team score of 347 to take fourth for the fourth-straight meet and will end up fourth in the final conference standings no matter how it places in the tournament finale Friday at Merrill.

Marshfield’s Derek Michalski hits a tee shot on the par-3 fifth hole during the Wisconsin Valley Conference Tournament meet on Tuesday at RiverEdge Golf Course in Marshfield.

Stevens Point clinched its sixth WVC championship in a row by finishing first with a score of 323, five shots better than Wausau West. Point has won all six of the conference meets this season.

Wausau West’s Austin Hillery won his first Valley meet of the season, shooting a 4-over-par 76, two shots ahead of teammate Hunter Ricklefs and Stevens Point’s Jake Hofmeister.

Marshfield’s Derek Michalski tied Wausau East’s Matt Tuman for sixth with an 81 and remains sixth in the overall standings, just half a point behind Taylor Thomas of Stevens Point for fifth place.

Zach Hanson had his best finish of the season for the Tigers, shooting an 82 to end up in a three-way tie for eighth. Brendan Schneider had a 91, Grant Michaelis fired a 93, and Joe Kirschnik shot a 97 for Marshfield.

The final meet of the tournament will be at Merrill Public Golf Course on Friday. Marshfield will compete in the WIAA Division 1 regional May 24 at Stevens Point Country Club.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Wisconsin Valley Conference Boys Golf Tournament

Leg No. 6, May 17, at RiverEdge Golf Course, Marshfield

Team scores: 1. Stevens Point 323; 2. Wausau West 328; 3. Wausau East 335; 4. Marshfield 347; 5. Wisconsin Rapids 361; 6. D.C. Everest 365; 7. Merrill 382.

Top 10 and Marshfield finishers: 1. Austin Hillery (WW) 76; 2. Jake Hofmeister (SP) and Hunter Ricklefs (WW) 78; 4. Evan Thomas (SP) 79; 5. Landon Dehnel (WE) 80; 6. Matt Tuman (WE) and Derek Michalski (MAR) 81; 8. Max Bancker (SP), Spencer Sparks (WR) and Zach Hanson (MAR) 82; 19. (tie) Brendan Schneider (MAR) 91; 24. (tie) Grant Michaelis (MAR) 93; 30. Joe Kirschnik (MAR) 97.

Overall standings (through six of seven meets)

Team standings: 1. Stevens Point 42; 2. Wausau East 32.5; 3. Wausau West 32; 4. Marshfield 25.5; 5. D.C. Everest 17; 6. Wisconsin Rapids 11; 7. Merrill 8.

Top 10 and Marshfield individuals: 1. Matt Tuman (WE) 80.5; 2. Jake Hofmeister (SP) 72.5; 3. Max Bancker (SP) 71.5; 4. Josh Yang (WW) 61.5; 5. Taylor Thomas (SP) 49.5; 6. Derek Michalski (MAR) 49; 7. Evan Thomas (SP) 47; 8. Landon Dehnel (WE) 42.5; 9. Austin Hillery (WW) 39.5; 10. Charlie Okray (SP) 37.5; 15. (tie) Joe Kirschnik (MAR) 14; 17. Zach Hanson (MAR) 12.5; 22. Brendan Schneider (MAR) 6.5; 25. Grant Michaelis (MAR) 2.5.