The final team score, not the final placing, was what Beatrice boys golf coach Dick Stuart was most pleased with Tuesday during River Cities Conference tournament action.
But, Stuart didn’t mind the Orangemen earning a runner-up finish either.
Beatrice finished second to conference champion Omaha Skutt, 328-333.
It was a two-team race all the way as Ralston finished third, 20 strokes behind the Orangemen with a 353.
“Going into it, we were hoping to get second and scare Skutt a little bit,” Beatrice coach Dick Stuart said. “More importantly, we wanted to break 340. We think if we can shoot under 340 at district we have a good chance to go to state.”
Sophomore Caleb Harms led the Orangemen, finishing third overall with an 80.
Jacob Sorensen was sixth for Beatrice with an 82, while Seth Ray was ninth with an 84.
Stuart said he was “really happy” with the way Harms and Sorensen played.
“Caleb didn’t play as well on the back nine, but he kept fighting,” Stuart said. “He didn’t hit his driver great, but he found a way to shoot 80.
“Jacob had a couple bad holes finishing on nine and 18, but still found a way to shoot an 82.”
Ray’s performance also impressed his coach.
“Seth Ray, playing as our sixth man, got a ninth-place medal,” Stuart said. “That’s pretty exciting, knowing we have another underclassmen that will be ready to go next year.”
Also golfing for the Orangemen were Hunter Kendall, 87; Colin Hays, 89; and Dylan Kendall, 93.
Stuart said he can “live” with Hunter Kendall’s 87, which was a good score for the sophomore.
Hays, Stuart said, needs to shoot a little lower for the team at districts.
“The thing about Colin (Hays) is we’re asking a sophomore to play No. 1,” Stuart said. “That’s not an easy situation.”
Stuart said he has Hays at No. 1 because he “trusts him” and knows he can shoot a good score. “Now, we just have to get him to believe in himself,” Stuart said.
Having conference at the Beatrice Country Club and then hosting districts here next Monday should be a plus for the Orangemen, Stuart said.
“It’s quite unusual,” Stuart said. “But it’s fun playing at home. The kids are more relaxed and when you have a lot of underclassmen it’s nice to be at home.”
While Stuart said it’s good to be “at home” for districts, he added the Orangemen need to take advantage of that.
Other teams in the B-1 District at Beatrice next Monday will be Ashland-Greenwood, Auburn, Falls City, Gretna, Nebraska City, Firth Norris, Springfield-Platteview, Plattsmouth, Syracuse, Wahoo/Mead and Waverly.
The Orangemen will see their final regular-season action Friday at the Grand Island Invitational.