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Herbel coins her last Class A State Tournament as 'Amazing'

katie ringer, the jamestown sun, n.d.
·4 min read

Oct. 5—JAMESTOWN — Hannah Herbel took a minute to find just the right word to sum up her last ever Class A state golf meet.

Then it came to her:

"Amazing"

"I've been playing for Century for six years and it just went by so fast," Herbel, a senior golfer for Bismarck Century, said. "I can't believe it's over already but I've had a lot of fun."

Herbel and her team cruised to its third state championship in five years Tuesday afternoon at the Jamestown Country Club. The Patriots outscored the 2022 state runners-up, Grand Forks Red River, by 10 strokes to claim the title.

"Of course winning the team title as a senior that's just incredible," Herbel said. "My coaches this year have been incredible and so helpful towards me and my game and I just can't believe it's over."

After day No.1 of the state meet, Herbel found herself sitting in fourth place with a four-over-76. The three-time state champ said entering the final day of her prep golf career she really just wanted to enjoy all the greens at JCC had to offer.

"I was so happy to hear that State was going to be played at Jamestown this year because that's where I won my first state title and that was pretty special to me," Herbel said.

"Of course, I wanted to win but I just wanted to come in today and have fun and not put too much pressure on myself. It was the last round of my high school career so I just wanted to have fun."

Herbel ended up placing fourth with a two-round total of 152 — two strokes behind her twin sister Leah who wound up third overall.

"It's a friendly competitiveness," Herbel said with a smile when asked if the two get competitive. "We kind of push each other and we're competitive but it's friendly. I was just hoping that Leah was going to do really well today."

While Leah was leading after the opening round, it was Rose Solberg, a freshman for Fargo Davies who took home the championship hardware.

Solberg wound up pulling out a one-over 73 in her second round to win her first state championship. Solberg's total of 148 was just barely enough to give her the edge on Grand Forks Red River's Jaya Grube

Solberg scored 148 through the two rounds.

"Rose is a phenomenal player," Fargo Davies head coach Lisa Schwinden said. "Honestly, I am surprised she hasn't won it before. She's so steady and the most mature freshman in high school I've ever met.

"It's fun to see her have such a fabulous round today, a great tournament and a great season. She's just going to keep getting better and better."

Solberg placed eighth last year as an eighth grader and 13th as a seventh grader. In the offseason, Solberg said she worked on improving her flexibility while also bettering the distance of her drives and overall strength.

"It was definitely a goal — it's hard for it not to be," Solberg said of winning the state tournament. "But I was OK either way. If it got it, then great but if not, I was fine with that.

"Yesterday I was kind of in the spot I wanted to be and I just wanted to come out today and have the best round that I could. It hasn't sunken in yet."

Herbel extended her congratulations to Solberg:

"I am so happy for Rose. Rose is an amazing player and she deserves it."

Following the individual championship ceremonies, members of the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) presented the senior athlete of the year and coach of the year awards.

Herbel was selected as the 2022 Senior Athlete of the Year in the sport of girls' golf.

"It's just a testament to the hard work that I have put in for six years," Herbel said. "I was super happy to win it but going up against Lindsey (Astrup) — she's also an amazing player so she definitely deserved it too."

Herbel has verbally committed to play collegiate-level golf at Baylor next year but leaving a mark

of three individual and three team titles is definitely something Solberg is going to aspire to.

"I hope I can at least half of the state tournaments that she has had," Solberg said. "I just want to go forward with my best foot."

Team results

Two round totals

1. Century 636; 2. G.F. Red River 646; 3. Fargo Davies 652; 4. Mandan 658; 5. Legacy 689; 6. W.F. Sheyenne 696; 7. Wahpeton 699; 7. Minot 699; 9. Shanley 704; 10. St. Mary's 709; 11. Fargo North 735; 12. Jamestown 773.

Top-10 finishers

1. Rose Solberg, FD, 148; 2. Jaya Grube, RR, 149; 3. Leah Herbel, BC, 150; 4. Hannah Herbel, BC, 152; T4. Anna Huettl, MAN, 152; 6. Lexi Bartley, FD, 153; 7. Lindsey Astrup, SHAN, 154; 8. Payton Stocker, WFS, 155; 9. Ella Speidel, RR, 159; T9. Abigail Schneider, SM, 159.