Golf: Wicker qualifies for state

Douglas sophomore Thomas Wicker is making his second trip to state in as many years after finishing fourth at the Northern 4A Regional Championships Tuesday.

Spanish Springs took the team title with a 786, followed by Galena 818 and Bishop Manogue at 827.

The top two teams and the top five individuals plus ties not on advancing teams move on to next week's state event at the TPC-Canyons Course in Las Vegas.

Spanish Springs' Ren Wilson (152) was the tourney's medalist, nosing out teammate Zach Beebe by a single shot.

Wicker (155), South Tahoe's Kyle Mazzoni (156), Manogue's Donald Carano (157), Wooster's Bobby McCracken (158) and Elko's duo of Chris Moore (159) and Ryan Blair (159) qualified as individuals.

Wicker, who opened with a 2-over-par 74 despite three-putting three consecutive greens on Monday at the Genoa Resort Course, shot an 81. He was the top player not on an advancing team.

The key for Wicker was staying away from any big numbers. He did double-bogey on No. 15, but made that up with a birdie on No. 17, a 480-yard par-5.

On his final nine holes, he had six bogeys, a birdie at No. 2 and two pars. He kept grinding, and and things turned out in his favor. Bogey was a good score at times on a windy day, and Wicker knew that.

"I actually played worse when it wasn't windy," Wicker said. "I didn't score that good, but I kind of pulled it together after a rocky start (back-to-back bogeys)."

"He's had a great year," said Brent Eddy, Douglas head coach. "He did what he needed to do. He would have liked to have won the individual title. That was his goal. He wasn't far off. He thrives in the wind. He plays in it a lot (here at Genoa)."