Kongshaug earns berth in girls’ state golf tourney
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STATE BOUND — Colfax/Elk Mound freshman golfer Belle Kongshaug finished second in the WIAA Division 2 sectional meet in Solon Springs October 3 to earn a berth in the state girls’ golf tournament which was held this past Monday and Tuesday, October 10 and 11 in Madison. Kongshaug, shown above hitting a tee shot during the regional meet in Hammond on September 28, shot an 80 on the sectional course at Hidden Greens North to earn the silver medal. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
SOLON SPRINGS — Elk Mound freshman Belle Kongshaug punched her ticket to the WIAA girls’ state golf tournament with a runner-up finish in the sectional meet hosted by Northwestern last Monday, October 3 at Hidden Greens North Golf Course in Solon Springs.
Kongshaug, who is the top golfer for the Colfax/Elk Mound girls’ cooperative and won this season’s CloverCroix Conference’s golfer of the year honor, shot an 80 over 18 holes on the par 72 course to finish in second place and earn one of three individual state berths.
In doing so, Kongshaug joined an elite group of local golfers to qualify for a state high school tournament. She is the first girl from the Colfax/Elk Mound cooperative to achieve this honor but not the first girl that head coach Ryan Krall has guided to the pinnacle of girls’ prep golf. Before Elk Mound joined with Colfax a season ago, the Vikings had a pair of young ladies, Whitney and Abby DeMoe, reach the state championships. Whitney became the first in 2013 and then Abby achieved the feat not once but four consecutive years (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019).
Kongshaug added her name to the history books with a fine performance in the sectional meet.
“Belle played great at our sectional,” stated Coach Krall. “The course (Hidden Greens North in Solon Springs) was a real challenge that doesn’t fit Belle’s game at all. Belle’s advantage is her long game and Hidden Greens is much more of a positional course – narrow with a lot of twists and turns and a place that she didn’t have a whole lot of experience at. But she was patient and played great, and now gets to enjoy a trip to state.”
Kongshaug turned in a 38 on the first nine holes and finished with a 42 on holes ten through 18 on the Hidden Green North course to finish second among the 43 golfers that participated in the sectional tournament.
“She has worked really hard – years of work seems like an odd way to put it for a freshmen, but that’s exactly what it has been for Belle,” said Krall.
“I’m happy for her that she gets a chance to show her talents on the biggest stage in girls golf in our state. I think she is going to play great and make both Colfax and Elk Mound communities proud,” he concluded.
The state tournament was held Monday and Tuesday, October 10 and 11 at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison. Kongshaug teed off around 10:20 am Monday in what she and many supporters hope is the first of several state tournament appearances. Because the Messenger goes to press on Monday afternoons, results will be printed in next week’s edition.
Prescott senior Ava Salay won the sectional meet with a 73 and helped lead the Cardinals to the sectional championship and a team state berth. Prescott won by a whopping 37 strokes over fellow Middle Border member and runner-up Altoona/Regis who claimed the other state berth. Prescott finished with a 331, Altoona/Regis shot a 368, Hayward came in third with a 375, Spooner was fourth with a 390, followed by St. Croix Central in fifth at 401, Somerset had a 422 to take sixth, Grantsburg was seventh with a 428 and host Northwestern tallied a 449 to finish last in the 8-team tourney.