State Golf: Individuals Shine on Big Stage

The 2026 Class A State Golf meet from Pebble Creek Course in Becker featured both Rushford-Peterson’s boys and girls teams, plus three Lanesboro individuals (Addison McCabe, Jack Brogle, Jentrey Schreiber) and one from Fillmore Central (Brody Srsen). The individuals shined in a big way on the biggest stage.

McCabe and Srsen Finish Top 10, Brogle Top 15

She is only a freshman. It was already her third state golf meet, and she qualified for each individually. Lanesboro’s Addison McCabe had a big 2026 event, building on two previous state experiences. After 18 holes, the first day of golf, McCabe was well on her way. Shooting a 79, she sat tied for fourth place with West Central Area’s Miley Dewey. Heritage Christian Academy’s Aly Bormes topped the leaderboard with a one-over-par 73. Murray County Central’s Rachael Huso (75) sat in second place, Fertile Beltrami’s Macy Petry (76) in third. McCabe was similarly consistent on Day 2, shooting another 79. Included was a fantastic second nine holes where she shot 37 (two birdies, four pars, and three bogeys). Finishing with a 158 total (38/41/42/37), McCabe took an impressive fourth place overall and she was honored as one of the best Class A golfers. She finished behind Bormes (152 > 35/38/40/39), Community Christian’s Hope Reid (156 > 46/38/35/37), and Hayfield’s Carly Bronson (157 > 40/41/38/38). Bronson topped McCabe by 12 strokes (155 to 167) at the Section 1A Meet. McCabe had four birdies total, 17 pars, 12 bogeys, and three double bogeys in shooting 14-over-par at the 36-hole par-144 course. Last year, McCabe shot a 179 (44/40/43/52) in tying for 26th place. Two years ago, she was plus-52 (52/50/41*/45*) and tied for 45th place, as the last hole on either side of the course was not finished (storms). McCabe is Lanesboro’s top girls’ finisher at the state meet since Paige Hungerholt tied for fourth in 2012. Dawson-Boyd (678) won the girl’s team title over Heritage Christian Academy (704).

Fillmore Central junior Brody Srsen was similarly impressive, more so when considering how big a jump he made from last year to this year at the state meet. Srsen entered 2026’s event having finished tied for 57th in 2023 (173), he took 78th place in 2024 (185) and 71st place last year (178). His first two trips came as a part of Fillmore Central’s state qualifying team, the last two as he qualified individually. Srsen smashed previous scores. His first round was good, as he shot a 77 to sit in an eight-way tie for 21st place. Heritage Christian Academy’s Alex Rhode topped the leaderboard with a three-under-par 69. But then Srsen shot a two-over-par 74 on day two to catapult up the leaderboard. He tied for having the second best 18 holes of golf Day 2, just one stroke back of the best. With a 36-hole, two-day total of 151 (38/39/36/38), the junior finished tied for 7th place and was thus honored amongst the state’s best in Class A golf. He shot seven-over-par with six birdies (four day two including three in a row), 19 pars, nine bogeys, and just two doubles. By proxy, last year he had 13 pars, 16 bogeys, four double bogeys, two triple bogeys, and a quad bogey! He thus improved by 27 strokes, which is three-quarter-stroke per hole. Prior to putting up the four sub-40 rounds this year, in his 12 previous nine-hole rounds at state, he never cracked 40 with his best score a 42! Srsen joins four-year state qualifier (and former teammate) Jake Fishbaugher as having finished top 10 on the state stage for the Falcons recently. Fishbaugher did so three times (tied for ninth, eighth, and second). Rhode (143 > 32/37/37/37) won the state title over Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton’s Jeffery Simonson and The Marshall School of Duluth’s Bennett Scissons (148’s). Rhode was one-under-par for his 36-hole round. His first nine-hole round featured five birdies. Simonson and Scissons were four-over-par.

Entering the 2026 state meet, the most marquee Journal-covered golfer was Lanesboro’s Jack Brogle, the three-time Section 1A champ. Despite another impressive top 20 finish, Brogle was only third best of ‘Journal-covered’ golfer (behind Lanesboro’s Addison McCabe and FC’s Brody Srsen). The junior entered his fourth state meet having already notched top 20 finishes in 2024 (14th-tie, shooting a 156) and last year (19th-tie with a 158). He improved upon both scores and both finishes. After one round, Brogle (75) sat in a six-way tie for fifth place. Heritage Christian Academy’s Alex Rhode topped the leaderboard with a three-under-par 69. Brogle was not quite so good second round, but posted a still strong 78. With a two-day total of 152 (36/38/39/39), he finished in a five-way tie for 11th place, knocking six strokes off his total last year. Rhode (143 > 32/37/37/37) won the state title over Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton’s Jeffery Simonson and The Marshall School of Duluth’s Bennett Scissons (148’s). It was the first time at state Brogle put together four sub-40 rounds. He had at least one in every other trip to state previously, and now has 10 in 16 total state rounds at Becker. He notched four birdies, 21 pars, 10 bogeys, and one double bogey this year. He is well on his way to possibly being the Burros’ top male golfer ever.

Finally, from an individual perspective, Lanesboro’s Jentrey Schreiber took on her second consecutive state meet. She too improved a bunch. The junior shot a two-day total of 178 (41/44/43/50). Like last year (193 > 48/43/47/55), her worst round was on her second day of competition. Schreiber finished well into the top of the 86-girl field, solidly tying for 28th place. She tied for 44th place last year. Schreiber had 11 pars, 17 bogeys, seven double bogeys, and one triple bogey. Her bad nine holes featured just one par with four doubles and the triple.

Tougher Field Prevents Trojan Boys From Improving Upon Last Year

A year ago, at the state golf meet, Rushford-Petersons’ boys (662) battled to a fourth-place tie with Park Christian (662) behind Lac qui Parle Valley (661), Legacy Christian Academy (631), and state champ Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (613). With everyone returning this year, and with the boys having played a lot of golf this spring, a jump up the leaderboard was the expectation. But against a tougher field, Luke Rye’s group could not do so. The Trojans (653) shot a collective nine strokes better than last year, but fell back to a sixth-place finish. Heritage Christian Academy (603) won the state title over Central Minnesota Christian (610), and Mahnomen-Waubon (632). The Marshall School of Duluth (638) took fourth and Sleepy Eye United (642) fifth place. R-P did move up out of seventh place after the first round. But a year ago, only two teams finished with sub-650 scores whereas five did so this year. R-P was led by brother’s Will LaFleur and Sam LaFleur, as they finished tied for 39th place with 161s. Will, a senior (39/39/40/43), was one stroke back of last year’s 160 (42/39/38/41). Sam, a sophomore, (44/40/36/41) shot exactly the same as last year (161 > 41/39/38/43). Jaxson Meldahl (163 > 40/44/38/41) was the next Trojan, as he took 45th place. Meldahl was two strokes better than last year (165 > 39/43/43/40) but saw his placing drop 13 spots (tied for 32nd last year). Senior Jace Dvorak (168 > 41/44/41/42) was the team’s most improved performer. Dvorak tied for 59th after tying for 78th last year (184 > 43/42/45/54). He was thus 16 strokes better. Rounding out R-P’s six-man team was sophomore Kellen Drinkall (186 > 45/46/49/46) in 81st place and junior Gus Hoiland (190 > 51/47/45/47) in 82nd place. Drinkall shot 183 (49/43/46/45) last year, Hoiland 188 (44/46/51/47). It is R-P’s boys golf’s third state appearance in the last five years with Fillmore Central going in 2023 and 2024. The event was held at the 36-hole, par-144 Pebble Creek Golf Course in Becker. R-P’s boys and girls teams were a family affair with two sets of siblings, the LaFleur brothers, Jace and Brynn Dvorak, and a set of cousins, Kellen and Addison Drinkall.

Trojan Girls Take on First State Meet, Colbenson Shines

While Rushford-Peterson boys golf took on a more improved field, the Trojan girls team took on their first state team golf meet ever. They entered with unknown expectations. R-P won Section 1A with a 36-hole, 744 score. By proxy, last year’s 1A Champ, Fillmore Central, shot a 724. They then shot a 745 at state to take third place overall. Below a 700-score can put a team near state title contention, give-and-take yearly variances. Dawson Boyd won last year’s title with a 669. But R-P’s girls, save top golfer Adalyn Colbenson, could not keep up with their 1A Meet team score. They shot a 791, which took eighth in an eight-team field. Dawson-Boyd (678) repeated as state champs over second place Heritage Christian Academy (704) and Badger-Greenbush-Middle River (724). Colbenson was R-P’s brightest spot. A year ago, at sections, the then freshman, shot a 205 (48/48/54/55) to take 19th place. She took third place at sections this year with a 169 (45/43/42/39). The two girls to best her, Hayfield’s Carly Bronson and Lanesboro’s Addison McCabe, each finished top five at state. Competing in her first ever state meet, the sophomore Colbenson tied for 15th (of 85 finishing golfers). She again shot a 169 (40/45/42/42), a strong feat for her first state appearance. She had two birdies, 11 pars, 19 bogeys, and four double bogeys. She was the only Trojan in the top 50. Freshman Brynn Dvorak (202 > 44/57/48/53) took 56th place. Freshman Addison Drinkall (206 > 51/52/53/50) took 64th place. Senior Adalynn Hoel (227 > 54/52/53/57) took 75th place. Sophomore Lauren Volkman (228 > 56/64/57/51) took 78th place. Freshman Ella Timm (241 > 59/63/59/60) took 83rd place. While the R-P boys featured three seniors, the Trojan girls’ team was basically a b-quad with all sophomores and freshman save Hoel. Not only is it believed to be R-P’s first trip to state in girls golf, they may be the first R-P’s girls’ golfers ever to make state period. The Trojans have not had a female state golf qualifier in the Journal-Sports era (since 2011). Behind Colbenson and coaches Luke Rye and Andrew Hoiness, the Trojans will build on this first-ever season. R-P’s boys and girls teams were a family affair with two sets of siblings, the LaFleur brothers, Jace and Brynn Dvorak, and a set of cousins, Kellen and Addison Drinkall.