There was no fire in Blooming Prairie Tuesday afternoon.
Those lights and sirens in town in the late afternoon were for a history-making boys golf team.
The Awesome Blossoms lived up to their nickname on the final day of the Section One, Class A boys golf meet, blistering Willow Creek Golf Course to the tune of a 321 team score and the section team championship.
The victory gives the Blossoms their first trip to a state golf meet in program history. And they were paced by the best individual in the section. Junior Tommy Braaten fired a second-round 73 on Tuesday — one of just five sub-80 rounds shot in the meet — to finish the two-round meet at 153, good for a one-stroke victory against Caledonia's Ethan DuCharme.
Lewiston-Altura's Brady Borkowski finished two shots back, while Faribault Bethlehem Academy Khristian Peterson finished fourth (156).
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But the Blossoms were the story of the day. With their victory, they'll play in the Class A state meet June 14-15 at Pebble Creek Golf Course in Becker.
They finished the Section 1A meet with a two-round total of 657, good for a slim six-shot victory against runner-up Lewiston-Altura. Rushford-Peterson (681) placed third and Caledonia (684) was fourth.
Word of the Blossoms' victory spread quickly in Blooming Prairie and the team was greeted outside of town by a pair of fire trucks that escorted it back to the school.
In addition to Braaten's medalist honors, sophomore Lucas Noble had a strong finish. He placed 12th at 164, while senior Jon Hatch finished 15th at 169 and sophomore Jake Ressler tied for 20th at 176.
Five other golfers qualified for the Class A state meet as individuals: DuCharme, Borkowski, Peterson, Rushford-Peterson's Kyle Weideman and Kingsland's Simon Broadwater.
Borkowski earned all-state honors a year ago, when he placed ninth with a two-day total of 154, eight shots out of the lead.
SECTION 1A
Team Totals
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1. Blooming Prairie 336-321—657, 2. Lewiston-Altura 331-332—663, 3. Rushford-Peterson 342-339—681, 4. Caledonia 336-348—684.
Individuals
1. Tommy Braaten (B.P.) 80-73—153, *2. Ethan DuCharme (Cal) 78-76—154, *3. Brady Borkowski (LA) 79-76—155, *4. Khristian Peterson (FBA) 79-77—156, *5t. Kyle Weideman (RP) 78-81—159, *5t. Simon Broadwater (King) 75-84—159, 7. Andy Pike (Hayfield) 82-78—160, 8. Isaac Bierman (Lanesboro) 84-77—161, 9. Hayden Stensgard (RP) 77-85—162, 10t. Zach Anderson (LA) 77-86—163, 10t. Matson Kiehne (Fillmore Central) 80-83—163,
12. Luke Noble (BP) 77-87—164, 13t. Delton Sauer (FC) 84-82—166, 13t. Dylan Schuth (Wabasha-Kellogg) 82-84—166, 15. Jon Hatch (BP) 80-89—169, 16. Tyler Blaser (LA) 89-81—170, 17t. Jacob Anderson (LA) 87-88—175, 17t. Lukas Rasmussen (RP) 87-88—175, 17t. Liam Blaschko (WK) 91-84—175, 20t. Jake Ressler (BP) 84-92—176, 20t. Cody Bresser (Cal) 92-84—176, 20t. Alex Lange (FC) 90-86—176,
23. Logan Larson (Cal) 88-90—178, 24. Connor Morem (FC) 81-98—179, 25. Symon Ely (Cal) 90-92—182, 26. Jackson Heydt (Hay) 92-93—185, 27. Ethan Strunk (BP) 100-87—187, 28. Wyatt Pruter (King) 92-95—187, 29t. Grant Vikre (Hay) 95-93—188, 29t. Scott Stoll (WK) 92-96—188,
31t. Jordan McNamer (RP) 101-88—189, 31t. Mark Cotton (GMLO) 97-92—189, 31t. Thomas Bottema (Southland) 96-93—189, 34t. Bryce Kingsley (RP) 97-95—192, 34t. Adam Sutter (Lane) 96-96—192, 36. Rodney Tweito (Spring Grove) 97-98—195, 37. Ryan Schroeder (Cal) 97-99—196, 38. Lane Canny (Hay) 101-97—198, 39. Tanner Boelter (GMLO) 110-91—201, 40. Jake Schmitz (South) 107-96—203,
41. Riley Augedahl (Cal) 111-98—209, 42. Justin Krum (GMLO) 112-98—210, 43. Dylan Buckland (RP) 107-108—215, 44. Chris Schell (LA) 108-119—227, 45. Mason Kelly (LA) 125-109—234.
