The team from Green Lea just missed a spot in the Minnesota Golf Association Junior State Tournament.

Or did it?

Almost immediately after claiming the second and final berth from Region 1, players from the runner-up Red Wing team &045; which already had a no-show in Friday’s region tourney at Green Lea &045; began talking about a conflict with the Aug. 6-7 state tournament. If Red Wing can’t field a team for state, the Green Lea boys would get to go.

&uot;There’s a glimmer of hope,&uot; said Green Lea Manager Jeff Elseth, who alerted the director of the MGA about Red Wing’s possible dilemma. &uot;He has to verify it with the Red Wing coach, but if they’re unable to go, Green Lea is next in line. I’m sure Red Wing will do everything they can to get a team together, but the chatter around that team was that some of them wouldn’t be able to make it. I’d say the chances are probably at best 50-50.&uot;

In order to play in the state tournament, a team member must have competed in at least one regular-season MGA event.

Rochester Golf and Country Club won the boys’ Region 1 title with 223 strokes for 18 holes. Red Wing CC had 235 and Green Lea had 239. Six boys’ teams competed.

Troy Hoefflin of Austin CC was the boys’ medalist with a 71. Also advancing to state as an individual was Brady Lorenzen of Adams’ Cedar River GC, who shot 78.

Beau Larson led the locals with a 79, one stroke away from qualifying for state as an individual. Also scoring for Albert Lea were Adam Elseth, 80; Ross Stadheim, 80; and Ben Jones, 82. Dan Breuer coaches the team.

According to Jeff Elseth, the Albert Lea boys were not pleased with the outcome of the region tourney.

&uot;All four had played well on the front nine, and the back nine is generally the nine they feel they can score better on,&uot; he said. &uot;It was disappointing because no one broke 40 on the back, which is unusual.&uot;

Faribault CC won the girls’ title with 161 strokes, with Ma-Cal Grove GC second with 172. The medalist was Faribault’s Katie Myos with a 78. Individual state qualifiers were Andrea Peterson of Austin CC with an 89 and Danielle Cerwinske of Lake City CC with a 90.

The state tournament will be held at Izaty’s near Onamia, site of the Class A high school state tournament.

(Contact Jim Lutgens at sports@ albertleatribune.com or 379-3437.)