By Tom Schardin, Staff Writer

Dan Kambeitz showed what he’s capable of for the Burnsville boys golf team.

The junior shot an even-par 71 to lead all golfers in the eight-team Section 2 Class 3AAA Preview Tournament at Oakdale Golf Club on May 9

“Kambeitz is starting to play much better and has a lot of confidence with his swing now,” said Blaze coach Larry Opatz.

The Blaze’s next-best score was 83 from junior Shawn Peterson of Savage, so in the team standings Burnsville finished seventh with a score of 326.

Other Blaze scores were junior Andy Osgar and senior Scott Wenino each with 86s, junior Andy Pearson with 89 and senior Cullen Rowley with 92.

Eden Prairie won the tournament with a 294, followed by Chaska (305), Bloomington Jefferson (313), Hutchinson (315), Prior Lake (317) and Shakopee (319). Bloomington Kennedy was eighth (343).

Oakdale is also the site of the 36-hole Section 2AAA tournament. The first round will be held Thursday, May 22 with the final 18 holes on May 27.

As an eighth-grader, Kambeitz nearly qualified for state in the Section 6AA tourney at the Ridges of Sand Creek Golf Course in Jordan, shooting a 74, two shots shy of a berth. The last two seasons, Kambeitz has been in the 80s in the section tourney.

Kambeitz also had a strong showing for the Blaze at a Lake Conference tournament on May 12 at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley. He shot 74, but again the Blaze could not get another score in the 70s.

Osgar had the team’s next-best round at 83.

As a team, the Blaze finished 11th with a team score of 348. Eden Prairie won the title with a 290, followed by Eastview (302), Lakeville North (303), Apple Valley (317), Chaska (318), Rosemount (319), Lakeville South and Jefferson (323), Eagan (328) and Kennedy (345).

The Blaze final four scores at Valleywood were 94 from Rowley, 97 from Peterson, 99 from senior Trevor Neilson and 100 from Pearson.

Burnsville also played in the Farmington Invitational on May 10 at Emerald Greens Golf Course in Hastings. However, Kambeitz and Osgar did not play due to other commitments.

The Blaze finished eighth in the 10-team field with a team score of 354. Lakeville North won the title with a 303, followed by Eagan (318), Rosemount (321), Apple Valley (328), Hastings (331), Farmington (345) and South St. Paul (347).

Nielson had the Blaze’s best score with an 87, while Peterson had 88 and sophomore Adam Smyth had 89. Pearson shot 90, while Wenino had 93 and eighth-grader Kyle Greiger had 99.

Burnsville also competed in a conference tourney on May 14 at Inverwood Golf Course and took eighth as team with score of 328.

Chaska won with the title in a tiebreaker of Eden Prairie with a 296. Lakeville North was third (300), followed by Eastview (311), Eagan (319), Jefferson (323) and Apple Valley (324).

Kambeitz led the Blaze with a 77, followed by an 81 from Osgar, 85s from Wenino and Nielson, 88 from Smyth and 91 from Peterson.