Prescott boys golf entered the Middle Border Conference Championship event in Amery in solid position to win its first Middle Border Conference title, and a second-place finish got the job done May 19. The win was the team’s first conference title in any conference since 1979.

Head Coach Scott Hamilton said the achievement was one of the team’s top goals this season. The Prescott girls have developed into one of the state’s best programs, competing for State titles, walking their way to conference titles and sending many golfers to the collegiate level. Hamilton felt this could be the year where the boys break the seal and start to create a program culture of their own.

“It meant a lot,” Hamilton said. “Back in eighth grade, [seniors Tyler Reiter] and Sam Vesperman were kind of the two that were coming up. They had said that one of their big goals was to win a conference championship, and to see it pay off for them has been really cool to see.”

Vesperman and Reiter recruited some of their friends along the way, and just like that, the Cardinals are on top. Dealing with a handful of injuries throughout the year, Prescott’s depth showed.

“Miles Malm and Beau Risdon, they were able to step in and we even used their scores a couple times to keep us in the hunt for the conference championship,” Hamilton said. “Bodes well for our future.”

For the second year in a row, Reiter won the conference Golfer of the Year award.

“He set a goal to win every single meet this year, and he missed out on that in the first one, so it kind of took a little pressure off him. I think he had a little more fun by not having that. He was able to just go out and golf,” Hamilton said.

Even as an eighth grader, Reiter was on the course working hard alongside the team. He signed with UW-Parkside for golf and has led Prescott by example day in and day out.

“Him as a leader has been awesome,” Hamilton said. “He puts the time in. Everyone kinda watched and said ‘Oh, well he’s back out there again, if we want to get to his level, we’ve got to get out there and keep pushing along.’”

Seniors Harrison Linderholm and Luke Kinneman have also been core pieces for the team, frequently placing high to boost the team up in the standings. Vesperman earned All-MBC second team, with Linderholm and Kinneman being named honorable mentions.

With graduation now in the books, Hamilton hopes the senior-dominated team can find the necessary focus ahead of the May 28 Regional in Prescott.

“It’s just going to take an extra little focus,” Hamilton said. “Lock in, that’s what we have to do.”