MARQUETTE — In the first two Great Northern Conference matches of the season last Thursday and Friday, the Marquette Senior High School boys golf team prevailed over second-place Escanaba at the Escanaba Country Club on Thursday, before the Eskymos edged Marquette at the Gladstone GNC match at Terrace Bluff on Friday.

The team’s again finished 1-2 on Monday afternoon, with the Eskymos staying on top for its second GNC win in a row, narrowly defeating the Redmen by one stroke in a nine-hole battle on Heritage Golf Course at the Marquette Golf Club.

Esky finished with a team score of 162, followed by Marquette with 163, Kingsford with 196 and Menominee with 197. Gladstone also competed, but only with three players making it ineligible for a team result.

For the girls, it was Menominee claiming the top spot once again, earning team victories in all three GNC meets so far.

The Maroons finished with a team score of 199, followed by Escanaba with 216, Marquette 230, and Kingsford and Gladstone who did not score.

The Menominee girls were led by Emma Hofer and Maddie Derusha, who each shot a 45 on the front-nine Heritage layout. The double-45’s earned the Maroons teammates a tie for third individually, while Kingsford’s Kate Cook finished second shooting a 42. Northern Michigan University recruit, Esky’s Paxton Johnson, shot a 38 to take the top individual spot.

Menominee head coach Tony Hofer said his girls earned their third consecutive conference win by the help of somebody new stepping up to the plate each time.

“It’s was another one where different players keep stepping up at different times,” he said.

“That’s two good tournaments in a row for Emma with two 45’s, so hopefully she’s getting into it a little bit.

“Maddie is a freshman and it’s her first time on the Marquette course. She had a great 45 (today) and she’s played some good rounds this year.”

His other girls players, Josie Hofer, Olivia Badker and Arikah Bellisle all shot in the 50s.

“Josie, Olivia and Arikah had good rounds in Gladstone, but (today) they didn’t,” Hofer added. “But Maddie knocked five off the other day. It’s just a team thing where somebody keeps stepping up. They’ve been playing good.”

The Escanaba boys were led by Nathan Rousseau and Trevor Denome, each shooting a 38. Marquette’s Tyler Bergwall, last year’s GNC boys Player of the Year, matched that mark of 38, making it a three-way tie for second place individually.

Gladstone’s Rudy Peterson topped the boys leaderboard two strokes ahead of the second-place field with a 36.

Marquette head coach Ben Smith said all it took was a couple of bad holes for his boys to fall behind, combined with chilly conditions as well as not being able to practice too much with the spring weather conditions.

“They got us by a shot,” he said. “We had a couple of eight’s on the card which isn’t necessarily what you want on the front-nine at Heritage, but things happen. Conditions weren’t necessarily fun out there. It was cold, windy and it was kind of the first time swinging on our home course. We haven’t been out there too much.

“It’s definitely still early, but it’s kind of one of those things with our conference setup where every round matters. That’s why you kind of have to dig in and hang on.”

Joe Luke shot a 42 for Marquette, taking an eight on hole four for triple bogey. Ethan Sellers had the other eight on hole six, shooting a 44 for the day.

Jordan Jurmu shot a 40 for the Redmen, good for a tie for fifth place with Menominee’s Brady Badker, while Karsten Kamps shot a 43 for Marquette.

Clayton Smith notched a 41 for Esky while Jaden Gravelle had a 45 and Brett McDonough 50.

Badker led the Maroons boy with a 40 while Andrew Macintyre shot a 41. Kingsford’s top shooter of the day was Matt Solda with a 42.

Other top finisher’s on the girls side include Marquette’s Morgan Rhoades rounding out the top five individuals, shooting a 51. Josie Hofer shot 52 for Menominee while the Flivvers’ top shooter was Cook with her 42.

Boys

Escanba (162) — Rousseau 38, Denome 38, Smith 41, Gravelle 45, McDonough 50. Marquette (163) — Bergwall 38, Jurmu 40, Luke 42, Kamps 43, Sellers 44. Kingsford (196) — Solda 42, Watkins 46, Londo 54, Andrews 54, Maki 55. Menominee (197) — Badker 40, Macintyre 41, Conway 49, Haire 67, Lesperance 70. Gladstone (NTS) — Peterson 36, Cooper 52, Hanson 74.

Girls

Menominee (199) — E. Hofer 45, Derusha 45, J. Hofer 52, Bellisle 57, Badker 58. Escanaba (216) — Johnson 38, Carlson 53, Leisenring 60, Wilson 65, Dagenais 74. Marquette (230) — Rhoades 51, Bentti 54, Hummell 62, Gentz 63, Tate 81. Kingsford (NTS) — Cook 42, Gabriel 53, Menghini 67. Gladstone (NTS) — No players.