This picture was taken after the boys won the Big South Conference Championship. Pictured, left to right, are Braden Gudahl, Max Ehrich, Gavin Storbeck, head coach Travis Armstrong, Ashton Lloyd, Manning Lane and Nate Murphy. The team holds a 16-stroke advantage heading into the final round of the Section 2AA golf tournament which will be played on June 8, at New Prague.

It was a good day on the golf course for the Blue Earth Area boys team when they traveled to New Prague for the opening round of the Section 2AA tournament on Wednesday, June 2.

Manning Lane, Ashton Lloyd and Braden Gudahl claimed the top three spots to help lead the BEA team to first place halfway through the tournament. The Bucs’ first-round score of 301 puts them 16 shots ahead of second-place St. Peter. Sitting at 321, in third place and 20 strokes behind BEA, is Holy Family Catholic.

Lane set the pace for the field with an even-par 37-35-72. Lane began the day by shooting eight straight pars. He also birdied two par-5 holes and finished his round with a team-leading total of 14 pars.

Sitting two strokes behind Lane is Lloyd who matched his 37 on the front nine with the same score on the back nine to finish the day with a score of 74.

Lloyd had three birdies during the day and a total of 10 pars.

Gudahl carded a 39 on the front nine and followed it up with a 37 on the back nine for a 4-over par 76.

Gudahl had 12 pars and one birdie during his round.

The Bucs had two scores to choose from to complete their team score. Gavin Storbeck and Max Ehrich each fired a 79 to tie for eighth place overall.

Storbeck opened with a 41 through the first nine holes before carding a 38 on the final nine holes. He had 11 pars.

Ehrich shot a 38 on the front nine before finishing his day with a 41 on the back nine.

Ehrich had two birdies to go with nine pars.

Nathan Murphy had four pars on the way to shooting a 48-46-94.

The Bucs will return to the New Prague Golf Club on Tuesday, June 8, for the second round of the Section 2AA meet.