AUSTIN &045; Coach Dave Lillemon reports that the Riverland Community College men’s golf team has had a solid first half of the 2002 season.

After opening the season placing third among six squads at Minneapolis, the Blue Devils finished fifth despite shooting 311 at Rochester. Because of scheduling conflicts, they didn’t field a full team at Worthington but had individual scores of 76, 78 and 80. They won a six-team invitational at Green Lea, again shooting 311, and took third out of 12 schools at Central Lakes.

&uot;We gave ourselves a chance to win (at Central Lakes) and that was real encouraging and will be a real confidence builder going into the state and regional.&uot;

The Blue Devils have three second-year players, led by Austin’s Jeff Clark who was sixth in last year’s NJCAA national tournament. He finished in the top five in the first five meets this season, taking second at Central Lakes.

The other veterans are Jack Bettis and Joe Hewitt. Bettis has been plagued by injuries all fall and competed in only one meet. Hewitt has improved steadily and has locked up the No. 4 position with three meets to go.

Freshmen on this year’s team include Grady Rider, Austin; Andrew Routh, New Richland; Curt Peterson, New Richland; Jason Hubly, Hollandale; and Brett Wuerflein, Albert Lea.

Wuerflein has been the biggest surprise, posting tournament scores of 91, 76, 76, 73 and 85-86. He was the medalist at Green Lea.

&uot;He is our No. 2 player and is very capable of leading this group,&uot; said

Lillemon. &uot;Routh has been a bit inconsistent but is the No. 3 and very capable of shooting 75-80. No. 5 is still up in the air, but Rider shot a 76 up north and has the upper hand for the fifth and final spot for the state and regional tournament in Mankato on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.&uot;

Freshman Heather Selmecki is the only women’s player for RCC this year.

The Blue Devils host a six-team meet at Austin Country Club today.