Raiders capture North Platte Invite in sudden death round

The Sidney Red Raiders golf team defeated McCook on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the North Platte Invite Friday.

Senior Rachel Petik led the Raiders with an 80 to medal in third while senior Karson Langley medaled in seventh place with an 88. Katelin Cole (97) and Jessica Campbell (98) rounded out the Raiders top four. Sophomore Rachel Blauert competed in her first varsity match of the year and finished with a 101.

Since McCook and Sidney had tied at 363 strokes after regulation play, the top four golfers from each team went back out to settle the issue. Petik and Langley went off in a foursome with McCook's top two players while Campbell and Cole went out with the three and four players. Sidney won on the first-playoff hole with an aggregate score of 21 to McCook's 23.

"I followed Rachel (Petik) for most of her round," said Raiders Coach Jody O'Connell. "I wanted to try to give her confidence and help her straighten out her chipping problems. Once we got that ironed out she played very well."

Petik shot her 80 despite picking up two double bogies on the front side.

"Karson told me it was the worst 88 she's ever shot," O'Connell said. "She would have a good hole and then two bad ones. But I think that's a good thing. If she can erase some of those tough holes she's in the low 80's which I know she's capable of."

Cole managed to play six holes of par golf, but threw in some big numbers in between.

"She has to realize if she's capable of shooting even par for six holes, she can do it for nine," O'Connell said. "She has the game for it."

The Raiders head to Chadron Tuesday for a match at 9 a.m.