SJS & FJS Post Series Awards
LINCOLN (October 5, 2021) – New this year and presented by the UNL PGA Golf Management Program, Nebraska Junior Golf introduced the Spring Junior Series (SJS) for high school girls and took the familiar Boys Fall Junior Series (FJS) under its umbrella, which was previously executed by the Nebraska Golf Association. The SJS was completed back on May 8th and the FJS just wrapped up on October 3rd and the post-series awards recognizing the Team Champions as well as the All-Star Team and Captain have been awarded.
For the inaugural SJS, the Team at the top of the overall series leaderboard was the “Killer K’s”. They played the series in dominate fashion winning all three events, totaling 1500 points to be named the 2021 NJG Spring Junior Series Team Champions. This squad featured some of the biggest names in Nebraska Junior Golf. Katie Ruge of Omaha, Nicole Kolbas of Lincoln, and Emily and Julia Karmazin of Omaha. Ruge, a senior out of Millard North won the Juniper at Jackrabbit Run in Grand Island blistering the field with a 67 (-5). Kolbas, a Junior at Lincoln Pius X won both the Azalea at River Wilds in Blair (74, +2) and the Magnolia at Ashland GC in very cold and windy conditions (79, +8). Both Karmazin sisters never finished outside of the top 6 in each of the spring events.
The overall individual SJS All-Star Team was also announced, highlighted by captain Emily Karmazin who was rock solid throughout the entire series finishing in the top 3 of each event. Joining her is senior Emily Krzyzanowski of Scottsbluff High School, junior out of Lincoln Pius X, Nicole Kolbas, sophomore Julia Karmazin out of Elkhorn North and junior Karsen Morrison of North Platte.
For the 2021 FJS, finishing on the top of the team leaderboard of a series made up of very talent-rich fields was the team out of Creighton Prep titled “Bad Hair” featuring Omaha’s Connor Steichen, Teddy Peterson and Luke Strako. This squad finished 2nd in the Explorer at Norfolk CC, 3rd in the Pioneer at River Wilds in Blair and 2nd in the Frontier at Awarii Dunes in Axtell. The squad was led by sophomore Connor Steichen winning the series final at Awarii Dunes with a 68 (-4) and also finishing in the top 10 in the first two events. Senior Luke Strako finished tied for third at Norfolk CC with a steady even par round of 72 and junior Teddy Peterson helped the team finish runner up at Awarii Dunes with his T15 finish shooting a 74 (+2).
The overall individual 2021 FJS All-Star Team is led by captain, Connor Steichen after his solid FJS series campaign. The rest of the team is composed of Ashland’s Coltrane Mittag, Hasting High’s senior Brayden Schram, senior Marcus Holling of Grand Island Senior High and freshman Thomas Bryson of Lincoln Southeast.
2021 SJS Team Champions: Killer K’s – Katie Ruge of Omaha, Nicole Kolbas of Lincoln, Emily Karmazin of Omaha, Julia Karmazin of Omaha
2021 SJS All-Star Team: Emily Karmazin of Omaha (Captain), Emily Krzyzanowski of Scottsbluff, Nicole Kolbas of Lincoln, Julia Karmazin of Omaha, Karsen Morrison of North Platte
2021 FJS Team Champions: Bad Hair – Connor Steichen of Omaha, Teddy Peterson of Omaha, Luke Strako of Omaha
2021 FJS All-Star Team: Connor Steichen of Omaha (Captain), Coltrane Mittag of Ashland, Brayden Schram of Hastings, Marcus Holling of Grand Island, Thomas Bryson of Lincoln
More info on the SJS, FJS & the entire NJG program can be found at the website here: www.nebraskajuniorgolf.com.
About NJG: The newly dubbed ‘Nebraska Junior Golf’ (NJG) continues the great partnership between the two organizations that began with the Nebraska Junior Golf Tour in 2009. Nebraska Junior Golf is an umbrella organization for all junior programs run by the Nebraska PGA and the NGA and will also include an avenue to other opportunities for juniors to learn and play the game throughout the state. The effort to create a “one-stop shop” for junior golfers and their parents will make it easier for those wanting to get involved in the game to know what opportunities are available. Nebraska Junior Golf provides junior golfers of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to learn and play the game of golf.
NJG Media Contact
Kurt Karcher, PGA Nebraska Junior Golf/Nebraska Section PGA
Director of Nebraska Junior Golf 610 J St. Unit 10
(402) 730-8364 Lincoln, NE 68508
kkarcher@nebraskajuniorgolf.com www.nebraskajuniorgolf.com
