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Platteville wins regional on home course
Suits, Altfillisch shoot 78 to share medalist honors
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Junior Ethan Suits shot a season-low 7-over-par 78 to share medalist honors with teammate Isaiah Altfillisch at last Wednesdays WIAA Division 2 Platteville regional.

PLATTEVILLE — The Platteville golf team once again dominated the competition at last Wednesday’s WIAA Division 2 Platteville Regional.

The Hillmen took full advantage of playing on their home course, posting a 319 to blow away co-runner-ups Richland Center (370) and Dodgeville (370) by 51 strokes.

All five Platteville golfers finished in the top eight, led by junior Ethan Suits and sophomore Isaiah Altfillisch, who shared regional medalist honors with identical 7-over-par 78s.

Senior Alex Traxler shot a 10-over-par 81 to tie for third-place with Dodgeville’s Mike MacKinnon.
Junior Zach White carded an 82 to place fifth.

Sophomore Cade Rohrbach shot an 84 to tie for eight. Rohrbach’s eighth-place round ended up as the non-counting round (only the top four scores count toward the team tota) on the day for the stacked  Hillmen lineup, a truly incredible feat considered Rohrbach is Platteville’s number golfer and just a week earlier won medalist honors at the Southwest Wisconsin Conference meet with a 3-over-par 75.

All five of Platteville’s varsity golfers earned all-conference honors and finished in the top 11 in the final SWC individual standings. All five have also led the Hillmen with team-low scores at different events during the season.

Platteville’s regional title was the team’s fourth victory in its eight major tournaments. The Hillmen won the House on the Rock Invite, the Dick McKichan Platteville Invite, the SWC Championships and now the D2 Platteville regional. They also won all six nine-hole regular season SWC mini-meets and golfed to second-place finishes at the Viroqua Invitational and the Reedsburg Invitational.

Platteville now sets its sights on its biggest goal of the season, a team state tournament berth.

The Hillmen advanced to play in Wednesday’s 12-team WIAA D2 Virouqa/North Crawford Sectional. The top two teams and top three individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to next week’s WIAA State Championships, that will be held June 5–6 at University Ridge near Madison.

Platteville will face major challenges from Evansville regional champion Madison Edgewood and Jefferson regional champ Lodi.

Edgewood shot a 302 to win the Evansville regional by 31 strokes ahead of Edgerton (333). Lodi (303) won the Jefferson regional by 21 strokes over Lakeside Lutheran (324).

“It’s been a great season so far,” said Platteville head coach John Sponsler. “(Assistant coach) Brandon (Temperly) and I are hoping to extend it into June. They have the talent. It will depend on the execution. Either way, as long as they prepare and perform to the best of their abilities, we are so proud of this team.”

WIAA Division 2 Platteville Regional
(from Wednesday, May 24 @ Platteville Golf & CC, par 71)
Team scores — 1.Platteville 319, 2.Richland Center 370, 2.Dodgeville 370, 4.River Valley 371, 5.Westby 387, 6.Mauston 395, 7.Wisconsin Dells 410, 8.Prairie du Chien 430.
Top individuals — 1(tie).Ethan Suits (Pla) 78, 1(tie).Isaiah Altfillisch (Pla) 78, 3(tie).Alex Traxler (Pla) 81, 3(tie).Mike MacKinnon (Dod) 81, 5.Zach White (Pla) 82.
Individual sectional qualifiers — 6(tie).Trey Stendalen (Westby) 83, 10(tie).Joel Ellefson (Viroqua/NC) 85, 12(tie).Sam Peterson (PdC) 89.
Platteville (319) — 1(tie).Ethan Suits (Pla) 78, 1(tie).Isaiah Altfillisch (Pla) 78, 3(tie).Alex Traxler 81, 5.Zach White (Pla) 82, 8(tie).Cade Rohrbach (Pla) 84.