Trinity senior reverses fortunes, goes out a winner

Matt Chalberg thought he never really lived up to his full potential whenever the state tournament rolled around.

This ought to change his feelings on the matter.

In his fifth year at the event, the Trinity senior fired a 1-under-par 35 on the back nine and finished with a 2-over 146 to win the Class 1A individual boys' championship at Pebble Creek in Becker on Thursday.

"It's a big relief," said Chalberg with a smile on his face as a constant stream of friends came to congratulate him. "I've just never done well in the state tournament before, so it's good that I finally came through."

The sunny skies brought good fortune for Chalberg, who stormed ahead of senior Aaron Forgaard of Bethlehem Academy with birdies on holes 13 and 15. Forgaard, the co-leader after Day 1, bogeyed three consecutive holes on the back nine and finished with a 5-over 149.

"Birdieing on 13 gave me some solid momentum, and then I picked up two strokes on Aaron so that gave me some confidence," Chalberg said. "From tee to green, it was all there for me today."

Freshman Sam Eisenhuth from BEST (co-op of Babbitt-Embarrass and Tower-Soudan), who entered the day in a tie for first with Forgaard, bogeyed four holes on the front nine and finished with a 151.

Springfield won the team title, outdistancing runner-up Providence Academy by nine strokes.

Ross repeats as girls' champDespite three double bogeys and a triple bogey in her final round, Osakis senior Kelsey Ross repeated as the 1A girls' champion. Ross shot a two-round 160 (76-84), which was enough to fend off Mounds Park senior Steph Aanenson, who finished at 161 (82-79).

"I'm glad it's over, because I started shooting really bad towards the end," said Ross, whose tears of frustration on the final green turned to tears of joy when her mother informed her that she had won. "My aim was a little off, my timing was a little off, but it was enough to get it done."

Last year's runner-up, Lewiston-Altura, breezed to the team title, winning by 46 total strokes over second-place Providence Academy, the 2010 champion.