Beavers looking to defend NSIC golf title

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

Oct. 9, 1998

By Devlyn Brooks

It'll be a foursome of local boys and a lone outsider defending the crown as the Bemidji State men's golf team enters their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championship today at Bemidji Town & Country Club.

The Beavers, a fearsome unit of young golfers, won the 1997 conference crown for the first time in many years. And 80 percent of that same team returns this year to lay claim to their second straight crown on their home course.

The Beavers will be missing only young phenom Mike Berg from last year's team. He transferred to a school in Texas, which offered him a scholarship and a hope of pursuing golf as a career.

Still around, however, is a group of swaggering sophomores and a junior.

BSU has been led this year by their No. 1 and No. 3 men, Tom Jenkins, a former Lumberjack, and Ryan Holte of Hawley.

The two have the lowest averages among team members and have flip-flopped in leading the Beavers at tournaments.

Jenkins, however, wasn't here for last year's title, as he played his first year of college golf at Augsberg before transferring home to Bemidji.

"We're a little bit better than we were last year, even though we traded one quality player for another," fifth-year coach Don Niskanen said. "We have matured some from last year."

Playing the No. 2 position is another former Lumberjack, Beaver sophomore Kevin Krigbaum, and the No. 4 spot will be filled by Blackduck's Jay Ross.

Ross won the 1997 individual conference title in only his freshman year, but he didn't regain his confidence in his game this year. So he has struggled.

"Jay won it as a freshman, but he's been down on himself this year," Niskanen said. "Golf is such a mental game, you can't get down on yourself. Hopefully, we've got things straightened out."

And rounding out the five-some will be a third former Lumberjack, Tanner Johnson.

Although a talented golfer, Johnson only made the team after usual No. 5 Jeff Nordaune was unavailable to play this weekend.

Johnson, his coach says, is another who needs to work on his mental game and needs to believe in his ability more.

"Any one of the kids on our squad have the capability of winning the individual title," Niskanen said of his team's overall strength.

Winona may be the Beavers closest competition as they did finish ahead of Bemidji at one tournament this season. But, overall, the Beavers have beaten Winona three out of their four head-to-head meetings in 1998.

The dark horse entering today's tournament is Wayne State College out of Nebraska, a newcomer to the NSIC and a relatively unknown squad. The Beavers have not faced them this season.

As for the rest of the conference, Bemidji has finished ahead of them in every head-to-head meeting they've had this season, making it seem the Beavers are the favorite entering the competition.

"I would like to think we could win it. I believe we could win it," Niskanen admitted. "And if the kids play up to their abilities we will win it."

But if BSU's talent isn't enough, consider the fact they will be playing a course four of the five Beavers played as high school golfers.

"Yeah, any time you're on your home course or court it's an advantage," Niskanen added. "We've got a shot at it."

Today's first round play is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., and Saturday's second round also will begin at 10 a.m.