Grapeland Golfers Finish Fifth at State
Frauenberger Finishes Third Individually
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
AUSTIN – While it wasn’t quite what the Grapeland Sandies Golf Team has become accustomed to in recent years, the Sandies still fared very well at the UIL Class 2A Golf Tournament held at the Roy Kizer Golf Course on May 20 and May 21.
The Grapeland Golf team – comprised of Rick Frauenberger, Jason Bobbitt, Jack Woodford, Josh Ackley and Blake Howard – shot a two-day total of 677 to finish in fifth place. Meanwhile, the Goldthwaite Eagles dethroned the back-to-back state champion Sandies as captured the team title with a combined 618.
The Vega Longhorns finished in second place with a combined score of 628 while the Quanah Indians took home the bronze with a score of 657. Finishing in fourth place were the Panhandle Panthers, with a two-day total of 665.
Individually, Grapeland’s Rick Frauenberger capped off a spectacular high school career at the state tournament with a third place finish. Frauenberger shot a 68 in the second round of play to finish two shots behind the first/second place medalists with a two-day total of 143.
When he walked off the course after playing the 9th hole (Frauenberger teed off on the back nine), he walked into the UIL record books as one of the most decorated Texas high school golfers of all-time at any classification, 1A-6A.
As a freshman, Frauenberger helped the Sandies to a second place finish as a team while finishing sixth as an individual. In his sophomore year, he helped lead the Sandies to the first of their back-to-back titles as a team as Grapeland set a Class 2A state record with a two-day total of 600. In addition, Frauenberger picked up a gold medal as the low scoring individual with combined score of 139.
In his junior year, Frauenberger led the Sandies to the second of their two consecutive state championships as the team took home the gold medal with a two-day total of 626. He also picked his second straight individual state championship with back-to-back rounds of 68 to eclipse the runner-up, Douglass Indian Trevor Roquemore, by 10 strokes.
When you add it all up, Frauenberger ends his stellar career on the links with six medals – a silver, four gold and one bronze – in four years at the Class 2A State Golf Tournament.
Back to the 2019 tournament and speaking of Roquemore, he carded a two-day total of 141 to match the score of Goldthwaite’s Drew Hermesmeyer after 36 holes. Following a brief respite, the two golfers found themselves in a sudden-death playoff where Roquemore eventually bested Hermesmeyer to take home the gold.
Lovelady Lion Seth Campbell finished tied for eighth after he shot an opening round 77, followed by a second-day 79 – for a two-day total of 156.
Grapeland Sandie Jason Bobbitt finished in a five-way tie for 18th after he carded a combined 163. Bobbitt shot an opening round 83 and then shaved three strokes off his score to record an 80 on Day Two.
The Sandies’ Jack Woodford recorded rounds of 88 and 83 to finish tied for 34th, individually. The Grapeland Golf Team also featured Josh “Bear” Ackley who shot rounds of 108 and 92 to finish with a combined 200 while Blake Howard rounded out the team with rounds of 128 and 120 to finish with a 248.
The first day of competition saw the Sandies struggle off the tee. The conditions were blustery, to say the least, and the normally solid Grapeland squad shot a combined total of 354 which put them in a tie for sixth place with Douglass.
Vega and Goldthwaite sat in a tie for first after Day One with a combined 320. In third place were the teams from Panhandle and Quanah, both with scores of 339. In fifth position was Farwell with a 349.
Individually on Day One, Frauenberger was tied for third after shooting a 75. Roquemore, from Douglass, was in first after shooting a 70.
During the Regional Tournament held in Frankston, Frauenberger trailed by five strokes entering the second day of competition only to erase the deficit and tie Roquemore on 17.
Hermesmeyer from Goldthwaite was in second with a 74 while Kevin Nixon carded a 75 to tie Frauenberger for third at the end of the first round.
Lovelady’s Campbell was in contention after the first day with a 77, which put him in a tie for sixth.
As the first round unfolded, Grapeland’s Bobbitt recorded an 83, while Woodford carded an 88. Ackley shot a 108 and Howard finished with a 128.
Will Johnson may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].