Swinging their way toward state

Hazel Ockander, Editor • October 30, 2025

Photo by Brielle Gehrig

Emma Gehrig (11) goes long with an impressive swing getting her close to the hole. Gehrig had an amazing season with improvements in every tournament she attended, and she’s planning to keep that up her senior year

On October 14, 2025, Class A girls state golf teed off at Riverside Country Club. Lincoln East’s varsity team secured their spot in state with an outstanding third place performance in districts. As state neared, the girls prepared themselves for the biggest golf tournament of the year.

Precision is key for putting, and Emma Gehrig knows nothing else when she concentrates on finishing each hole. Gehrig was an outstanding teammate and worked hard to become a qualifier for state.

NSAA girl’s golf follows the rules of a regular golf game where participants try to earn as few points as possible. The participant with the least points wins the tournament, and the team with the fewest points added together wins as a school. Only five participants from each qualifying school compete for the Class A title. The girls helping the Spartans toward a state finish were Tasha Kolbas (10), Aubrey Christensen (11), Piper Sibert (11), Poppy Peters (11), and Emma Gehrig (11).

With their impressive performance in districts and Kolbas scoring 77 points and solidifying her name as district champion, the golfers knew they were going to rock the stage at state.

“I felt a lot of nerves leading up to state,” Emma Gehrig said. “But once I got out there, especially since I’ve played with these girls before, it just felt like a round of golf with my friends.”

State was a huge success; the entire qualifying team played their hardest, and all of the girls noticed significant improvement since their first tournament of the year.

“I’m really proud of how we did, we have a lot of people that are pretty new, some have only been playing for a few years,” Aubrey Christensen said. “I think for how new all of us are we did really really well and we made of a lot of progress during this season.

Although the end of the season didn’t end in a satisfying win at state, the girls are eager to dominate the playing field next year as they have a surprise strength.

“I think we will be really good next year,” Gehrig said. “We didn’t have any seniors this year which set us back a little bit, but we’ll keep the same team which is really good because we are already close and know how everything works.”

Girls’ golf might not be as popular as football or volleyball, but these girls play their hearts out every tournament and help the Spartans show the rest of Nebraska what kind of school East is. Next time you’re bored on fall weekend and can’t think of anything to do, show up to a golf tournament and cheer on your Spartans!

About the Contributor

Hazel Ockander, Editor

Second-year Oracle staffer Hazel Ockander is a junior at Lincoln East, and she is excited to further her writing ability and photography skills this year. Primarily, Ockander loves to highlight East’s outstanding athletic programs in her articles. Not only does she contribute to our school’s community through her participation in The Oracle, Ockander runs both cross-country and track, and she plays basketball between running seasons. Her status as a tri-sport athlete provides her with extra insight into team culture at East. “I think teams are so important for East because it provides everyone an outlet to share their ideas in a safe environment,” Ockander says, reflecting on her appreciation for her teammates. Outside of academics and athletics, Ockander loves to bake and spend time with friends, while also finding the time to run her own business as a nail technician. This year, she is optimistic about the future of The Oracle, hoping to see engaging print editions and intriguing interviews.