Welstad claims Watford City Invite title for second tournament victory

Minot North senior Kinzy Welstad continued her torrid start to the season, defeating Mandan’s Stray Ressler on the second hole of a playoff to capture medalist honors at the Watford City Invite at Fox Hills Golf Course on Friday, Aug. 15.

Welstad shot a 76 at the Par 70 golf course, birdieing the 18th hole to force a playoff. Welstad and Ressler both parred the 18th during the first playoff hole. Ressler also parred the second playoff hole – the Par-4 10th – but Welstad bested her with an approach shot to just six feet and drained the birdie putt for her second victory in three tournaments this season. Welstad carded two birdies during her round before her birdie in the playoff.

The Braves, however, easily won the team competition with a collective score of 316, winning by 32 strokes over the Sentinels. Bismarck St. Mary’s (352), Williston (361) and Bismarck Legacy (368) rounded out the top five. Mandan placed three golfers in the top four. Brooklyn Monteith (77) and Isabella Hale (78) finished third and fourth, respectively.

Minot North senior Emersyn Kopp shot an 81 to finish tied for sixth with Dickinson’s Kyndall Peterson, St. Mary’s Lola Huber and Williston’s Dani Tinklenberg.

Minot High placed sixth in the 12-team event with a team score of 371. Katie Thomas led the Magicians with an 87 and finished tied for 13th.

Ally Larson (93) of Minot North and Minot High’s Maura Alexander (95) both cracked the top 30, finishing 24th and 28th, respectively.

Minot North and Minot High are back on the course for the Century Invite at Riverwood Golf Course on Monday, Aug. 18, at 10 a.m.

Pair of Tauros make D-III NCAA commitments this week

Forward Jack O’Hanisain and defenseman Jordan Gibbs became the two latest members of the Minot Minotauros to make their commitments to play college hockey.

Gibbs will join Division III University of Wisconsin-Superior, playing his college hockey within the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Gibbs made the announcement on Monday, Aug. 11. The Yellowjackets won the WIAC regular season title last season for the first time since 2008-09, finishing with a 19-5-3 overall record. The 19 wins were the most by the program since that same 2008-09 campaign.

Gibbs has amassed 32 points (four goals, 28 assists) in his first two years with the Tauros. He was third on the team in scoring among defenseman last year with 20 points.

O’Hanisain will head further East, calling the state of Michigan home when he joins the Adrian College program, the team announced on Wednesday, Aug. 13. A consistent powerhouse in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association and Division III overall, the Bulldogs have nine regular season conference titles and five postseason conference titles since joining the NCHA in 2013-14. The Bulldogs have advanced to the NCAA Tournament 12 times, playing in the Frozen Four six times and winning a national championship in 2021-22.

O’Hanisain finished second on the team in scoring last year with 67 points (25 goals, 42 assists). For his career with the Tauros, O’Hanisain amassed 149 points on 63 goals and 86 assists.