Baraboo shoots record 302, finishes fourth at Badger Large meet in Watertown

Baraboo turned in the lowest team score of the coach’s 15-year tenure Thursday, carding a 302 to finish fourth at Badger Large Conference meet No. 2 at Watertown Country Club. Senior Jon Moon and sophomore Will Stelling led the Thunderbirds with matching rounds of 73, good for a tie for sixth in a tightly packed conference field.

The Thunderbirds entered the day looking to build on a third-place finish at the opening conference meet and continue what the program viewed as a strong introduction to the Badger Large Conference. They did that on an unfamiliar course, navigating Watertown Country Club for the first time in cool, cloudy conditions. The Baraboo lineup handled the adjustment well, relying on smart decisions and a steady mental approach on a course none of its players had previously seen in competition.

Moon’s 73 stood out as one of his personal best competitive rounds. He recorded several birdies and an eagle while striking the ball well throughout the day. Stelling also posted a 73 and said afterward he took plenty of positives from the round, even while feeling there were still strokes left on the course. Their low numbers gave Baraboo a chance to stay in the mix against some of the league’s strongest teams.

Junior Jack Brinker added a 76 to place 11th overall. His round was another key piece of Baraboo’s team total, even if the score did not fully reflect how well he hit the ball. Sophomore Finnley Schindler followed with an 80, and sophomore Peyton Olson finished at 83 as Baraboo put together the kind of balanced scorecard needed to stay in the low 300s.

That 302 marked a significant day for the program, even in a meet where the team standings were crowded with elite scores. Oregon won with a 282, followed by Milton at 294 and Waunakee at 299. Baraboo’s 302 left the Thunderbirds just behind that lead group and underscored the level of play required in the conference.

For Baraboo, the finish offered another sign that it can compete in its new conference. On a new course and in less-than-ideal spring weather, the Thunderbirds delivered one of the best team rounds in recent program history, with Moon and Stelling setting the pace and the rest of the lineup supplying the depth needed to make another statement in conference play.