WILLMAR — Despite being in a tight race for the Section 5A championship, the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa boys golf team exercised restraint on Wednesday.

Instead of staying glued to their phones, checking the iWanamaker app for regular updates on the rest of the field, the Jaguars tried to stay focused on their game.

“Last year, I was refreshing every second and I couldn’t handle it,” BBE head coach Matt Goodwin admitted. “I learned my lesson last year that I can’t control much of that. Just wait a little bit and don’t get too nervous.”

Said senior Brady Schwinghammer, “I didn’t check it a single time.”

That focus helped wrap up a second straight section championship in the process.

Holding a one-stroke lead after Day 1, the Jaguars shot a 356 Wednesday at Eagle Creek Golf Course to win the 5A championship with a two-day total of 703. They beat Dawson-Boyd by four strokes (707) and Community Christian School by five (708). Yellow Medicine East placed fourth with 736.

Pushing the Jaguars over the finish line was the best round of the season by a calm and collected Schwinghammer.

“I wasn’t really that nervous,” Schwinghammer said. “I didn’t really get nervous on Day 1 or Day 2. I know if I play my game, I know my golf’s good enough to get us to the point we need.”

After shooting a 78 on Day 1, Schwinghammer carded a 1-under par 71 on Day 2. His two-day total of 149 secured medalist honors.

The Day 1 leader, Lac qui Parle Valley’s Carson Besonen, placed second with 156.

Schwinghammer hadn’t finished below par in any previous meet this season.

“Putting, for sure, helped,” Schwinghammer said. “My tee shots struggled through the first few holes but they got better as the round went on.”

Schwinghammer is one of three Jaguars back from last year’s state team. The other two — Eli Gregory (tied-14th) and Matthew Walz (19th) — also placed in the top 20.

In either the five or six spot for BBE’s state team a season ago, Gregory admits he had to check a few times in the round to see if the team maintained its lead.

“Every four holes I was checking,” said Gregory, a senior. “We were on top most of the time.”

Besonen, Renville County West’s Ryan Schrupp (third, 159), Dawson-Boyd’s Carson Stratmoen (fourth, 160), Community Christian School’s Will Chapin (fifth, 165) and BOLD’s Grant Pfarr (sixth, 166) are also headed to state. The top five golfers not on the section champion team qualify for state.

The Class A state championship meet takes place on June 13-14 at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker.

“I knew it would be extremely nerve-wracking coming into today,” Goodwin said. “It was within one or two strokes all day. … These guys have put so much time in and it’s so fulfilling to see these guys once again come through.”

Said Gregory, “It’s pretty exciting since it’s only our second time in our history to be going (to state). It should be pretty exciting going to state again.”

Boys
Team scoring
(1) Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 347-356—703 … (2) Dawson-Boyd 348-359—707 … (3) Community Christian School 354-354—708 … (4) Yellow Medicine East 355-381—736
Individual
TOP FIVE — (1) Brady Schwinghammer, BBE, 78-71—149 … (2) Carson Besonen, Lac qui Parle Valley 74-82—156 … (3) Ryan Schrupp, Renville County West, 79-80—159 … (4) Carson Stratmoen, D-B, 84-76—160 … (5) Will Chapin, CCS, 81-84—165
(STATE QUALIFIERS IN BOLD)
BBE — (1) Brady Schwinghammer 78-71—149 … (14t) Eli Gregory 86-92—178 … (19) Matthew Walz 89-96—185 … (26) Walker Winter 94-102—196 … (27) Jamison Reed 101-97—198 … (31) Tate DeKok 98-116—214
D-B — (4) Carson Stratmoen 84-76—160 … (7t) Drew Hjelmeland 83-84—167 … (10) Evan Mork 89-86—175 … (28) Amon Sather 92-113—205 … (32) Landon Kemen 123-119—242 … (3) Jameson Garcia 134-122—256
CCS — (5) Will Chapin 81-84—165 … (11t) Mark Arnold 87-90—177 … (11t) Jonathan Reid 90-87—177 … (21) Max Arnold 96-93—189 … (23t) Jack Kreps 98-94—192 … (25) Jack Velyan 98-95—193
YME — (7t) Nick Moritz 83-84—167 … (16) James Patterson 81-99—180 … (17) Cooper McCosh 83-98—181 … (29) Brayton Hammer 108-100—208 … (30) Jack Mensink 109-104—213 … (34) Quinn Kotek 139-123—262
BENSON — (11t) Ryan Tolifson 93-84—177 … (20) Charlie Goff 92-95—187
BOLD — (6) Grant Pfarr 81-85—166 … (9) Riley Minkel 84-87—171 
CMCS — (14t) Seth Zwart 86-92—178 … (18) Eli Gerdes 91-91—182
LQPV — (2) Carson Besonen 74-82—156 … (22) Kaidyn Stender 94-96—190
MACCRAY — (23t) Charlie Delbosque 95-97—192
RCW — (3) Ryan Schrupp 79-80—159