Eagles swing till the end

Chadron State College’s golf team traveled to Litchfield Park, Arizona, for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championships, starting Sunday and finishing Tuesday. 

“I think my team should be very proud of this season,” Kinsey Smith, freshman of Windsor, Colorado, said in a message to The Eagle. “We broke records, worked hard, and showed our true potential. Even though the last tournament wasn’t out best, I’m still glad we got to have this experience.” 

The Eagles finished their spring season by taking ninth of 12 teams, finishing the three days with a score of 981. Their best day was their final day, and their team’s score card read 335-328-318-981. 

Alpine Hickstein, sophomore of Chadron, took the lead for the Eagles and she finished the tournament tied 17thof 58, her scorecard reading 77-83-78-238. 

Brooke Kramer, freshman of Aurora, Colorado, moved up from 32nd after the second day, finished tied 30th. Kramer score remained in the 80s, but she cut down two strokes each day, 84-82-80-246. 

“I was proud of all of my teammates,” Smith said. “I know they all feel that they could have done better, but they worked very hard and were able to put together some good rounds even when they had bad holes.” 

Finishing tied 35th, Allison Acosta, freshman of Oro Valley, Arizona, moved up five places from day two with 79 strokes on the third day. She scored 88-82-79-249. 

Kenzey Kanno, freshman of Mitchell, tied 39th. Her final scorecard reading 86-82-84-252. 

Falling right behind Kanno, Smith finished the three days with a score of 90-82-81-253, sitting tied 41st at the end of the tournament. 

“I was pretty disappointed with how I performed this tournament, especially the first day,” Smith said. “That being said, I’m proud of how I bounced back the second two days. 

Despite the struggle she felt she face, Smith said she thinks she had her best career par in the first day. She earned this par following a swing ending in the water and receiving a penalty stroke. 

“I then went to the drop zone, where I would be hitting my third shot, and I ended up holing out from 62 yards away.” Smith said.  

Finished their spring season and are due to return in the fall.  

The five RMAC golfers for Chadron State will return for their competitions in the fall, and will continue to work over the summer. Smith said she will be focusing on her short game, feeling like she struggled with it the most this season.