North Platte, Neb. — Day one of the NSAA State Golf Tournament is in the books, with several area golfers and teams making strong early showings across Classes A, C, and D.
Class A Highlights
While North Platte High School didn’t qualify as a team this year, four Bulldogs are competing individually. Senior Luke Borges leads the way for North Platte, finishing the first round tied for 16th with a 4-over-par. Senior Rylan Perry follows closely, tied for 23rd at 6-over. Max Negley sits tied for 58th with a 15-over, and Keilan Thomsen rounds out the group tied for 67th at 20-over.
Class C Highlights
Only two area schools are competing as a team this year. Perkins County is in 14th place after shooting a 65-over as a team, just ahead of Ogallala, who is in 15th with a 66-over.
Individually for Perkins County, senior Zaybreon Hansen is tied for 19th with a 5-over-par. Freshman Cade Kroeker is tied for 78th at 17-over, while junior Jet Peterson is tied for 87th with a 21-over. Senior Oscar Boldt (22-over, T-90th) and junior Myles Bishop (25-over, 92nd) round out the squad.
Ogallala’s Rylan Gilmore turned in a strong performance, tied for 11th at 3-over. Senior Oliver Nielsen is tied for 86th with a 20-over. Conner Bell and Gavin Peters are both at 21- and 22-over, tied for 87th and 90th respectively. Rockton Rezac is 98th after a 36-over day.
Several other area individuals are also competing in Class C. Chase County freshman Zakary Anderson is off to a promising start, tied for 19th with a 5-over. Broken Bow’s Jack White, a sophomore, is tied for 43rd at 9-over, and Gothenburg's Trey Bartels is tied for 64th with a 14-over.
Class D Highlights
In Class D, Hitchcock County leads the local teams, sitting in 6th place at 75-over. North Platte St. Patrick’s follows in 12th at 82-over, with Sutherland close behind in 13th at 85-over.
Individually, Hitchcock County’s Jack Baker is tied for 10th after posting an 11-over. Junior Brayden Melchert is tied for 16th at 12-over. Mason Schilke is tied for 41st at 18-over, while Dylan Kollmorgen (34-over, 90th) and freshman Cale Graham (40-over, 96th) round out the team.
North Platte St. Pat’s is led by junior Landon Shepherd, tied for 31st with a 16-over. Freshman Benjamin Hankla is tied for 51st at 20-over, with Timothy Blakely (21-over, T-59th), junior Michael Furmanski (25-over, T-69th), and sophomore Tucker Kemp (30-over, T-81st) close behind.
Sutherland’s Grady Dempcy had one of the strongest days for individuals around the area, tied for 5th overall with a 9-over-par. Easton Smith (T-41st, 18-over), Ryker Copeland (T-48th, 19-over), freshman Teagan Fitzpatrick (T-94th, 39-over), and Keaton Miller (101st, 55-over) complete the team’s effort.
Other Class D individual competitors include Paxton’s Tristen Hebblethwaite (T-16th, 12-over) and Ethan Hardin (T-51st, 20-over), Dante Horner of Dundy County Stratton (T-16th, 12-over), Tyce Pate of Medicine Valley (T-63rd, 22-over), and Tyson Sullivan of Wallace (T-85th, 31-over).
Round two begins Wednesday as players look to climb the leaderboard in the final stretch of the 2025 NSAA State Golf Tournament.