Arcadia golf team ends season with tight sectional playoff

The Arcadia boys golf team was one stroke away from sending a golfer to the WIAA Division Two state tournament.

Senior Cole Sobotta ended his high school golf career in a five-person playoff at last Tuesday’s sectional tournament for the final individual bid to the state tournament.

Sobotta was edged by August Lang of Somerset for the final state qualification, but it was a day to remember for the senior—Sobotta tied for fourth with a 2-over-par 74 at Lake Wissota Golf Course.

“It’s easy to look at the negative side of not making it to state, but how many kids can say they were in a playoff to go to state,” said Arcadia coach Mitch Sobotta. “It was very cool to be part of it and was a fun ride for the seniors and him being a leader the last few years.”

Cole Sobotta started the day 2-over through four holes and then played some of his best golf of the season the rest of the round. His tee shot went high and right on the playoff hole, and his second shot was a bit thick. 

He wasn’t able to get up and down for par, but the round itself was one of the senior’s best, his coach said.

“Once he got through the first four holes, I knew it was going to be a pretty good day for him.”

Sobotta tied with four other golfers at 74. August Lang of Somerset and Connor Lingen of Medford took the final two individual berths to the state tournament by winning the playoff, and Nicholas Mueller of Saint Croix Central earned the top individual spot with an even-par 72.

Amery (302) and McDonnell Catholic/Regis (306) took the two team berths to state in a field that had five different teams that were in the Division Two top five at some point this season. Bloomer finished third at 324, followed by Medford (325) and Saint Croix Central (331).

The Raiders finished sixth with 339 points, enough to edge six other teams.

“As a whole we played very well,” Sobotta said of his team’s day.

Senior Dustin Klonecki shot one of his best rounds of the year with an 86, good for 36th place. 

Other scores for the Raiders included Sid Halvorsen’s 89, Joey Theis’ 90 and a 94 from Kaiden Rotering.

“The conversations with these kids throughout the year and watching them mature (were the best part),” Sobotta said. “We were in such a tough sectional … and it shows the character, the grind and the ability we had as a team.”