Jack Brinker earns medalist honors as Baraboo advances with third-place regional finish
| Place | Participant | Other 2 | Top 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | O | 0 | 0 | 311 |
| 2 | R | 0 | 0 | 312 |
| 3 | T | 171 | 307 | 313 |
| 4 | H | 0 | 0 | 317 |
Baraboo opened the WIAA tournament series with a strong team performance Tuesday, finishing third in an eight-team regional at Sparta and securing a spot in next week’s sectional. The Thunderbirds posted a team score of 313, just one shot behind Reedsburg at 312 and two behind Onalaska’s winning 311, with Jack Brinker leading the way by firing a 1-under-par 71 to claim medalist honors.
The round marked the best high school finish for Jack Brinker, who handled a demanding course and difficult pin placements to finish first overall. Baraboo had prepared for the regional throughout the past week and entered familiar with the layout after a practice round Monday. That familiarity helped on a warm day in Sparta, where the team faced conditions it had not yet seen this season and leaned on a consistent emphasis on smart golf.
Jack added another standout round for the Thunderbirds. He struck the ball well throughout the day, hit plenty of greens in regulation and carded five birdies on his way to a 71. Will Stelling followed with a 78 as well, a round that reflected solid ball-striking even if a few extra putts kept the number from going even lower. Jon Moon contributed an 80, Cooper Jauch shot 84 and Finnley Schindler rounded out Baraboo’s scoring group with an 87.
The regional format added to the tension, with all groups teeing off on No. 1 and Baraboo playing in the final groups of the day. That left the Thunderbirds chasing a target score after Reedsburg, which played in the first four team groups, posted an early number to beat. As the last groups came in, the finish tightened exactly as expected.
Onalaska eventually edged the field with a 311, followed by Reedsburg at 312 and Baraboo at 313. Holmen took fourth at 317. For Baraboo, the one-shot margin to second and two-shot gap to first underscored how steady the Thunderbirds were across a course that offered plenty of challenges and very little room for mistakes.
The result sends Baraboo on to the sectional tournament next Tuesday at Reedsburg. With a medalist performance from Jack Brinker, another birdie-filled round from Jack and a lineup that stayed in the hunt until the final groups finished, the Thunderbirds carry momentum into the next stage of the postseason.
