Cole leads Plains with top-10 finish at Thompson Falls Invitational

Plains’ golfer Alec Cole has made a habit to regularly finish in the top 10 of golf tournaments.

When Cole and rest of the Horsemen golf team competed in the Thompson Falls Invite Saturday at Rivers Bend Golf Course, Cole made no exception to carrying on this trend.

Cole finished sixth firing an 87 that tied with Loyola’s Thomas Sellmen for yet another of his top 10 finishes.

“Yeah, I think Cole has been in the top 10 of pretty much every meet,” Assistant coach Don Stamm said. “Alec has been doing really well and we are counting on him to place at state. He’s been really steady and consistent.”

Cole hopes to have additional help in the Horseman’s quest to qualify for state.

Cole’s teammate Karson Krebs fell two strokes short of becoming the fifth Horsemen to qualify for state, as he closed the tournament with a double bogey on hole 18.

“They have to follow along until they qualify and keep their scores,” Stamm said. “He was right there for a qualifying score until the last hole. Golf is a funny game. You have to keep your wits about you and stay focused. He got off to a slow start, came back, and got really close to qualifying. He has the right attitude and will qualify for state if he continues to focus on what he is doing.”

The Horsemen finished 7th firing a team total of 413, 58 strokes behind the first place Loyola Rams (355).

Stamm paid compliments to the play of Logan Benson and Connor Simpson. Both he said have “notably improved” in recent competitions.

“I hope they are having fun and both of them have a shot at qualifying for state,” Stamm said. “That is why we are out there to try to help these kids have a little bit of fun while chasing after their goals.”

The Trotters’ only female golfer, Shayna Burgess, did not participate in this week’s tournament because of other school commitments.

Assistant Stamm, who is filling in for Horseman and Trotters coach Carl Benson, who was out sick, said he enjoyed coaching again. Stamm was a coach for 27 years.

“It’s different when you are walking along the side of the kids trying not to say much,” Stamm said. “When you are a coach, you kind of live and die by every shot. It’s fun when the kids do well and you take it personally when they struggle but coaching again has been enjoyable.”