Consistency and composure manifested themselves Monday in the form of Brooke Hager. The Kimball High  sophomore qualified for the state golf tournament by finishing fourth in districts at Valentine on a round of 42-43 85, topping her season’s best by 13 strokes.

If she drove into the fringe, Hager recovered on the second shot. If she topped a mid-iron, she followed with a brilliant strike. It was truly a championship play.

“During the practice round it looked like the normal Brooke,” said coach Aaron Delhay. “I’m surprised by what happened, but I knew it was there.”

Hager has been one of the team’s most reliable players this fall, always counted on for a round between 98 and 108, depending upon the course. But Delhay has always had a feeling a different, more electrifying golfer could break from that range at any moment.

“It was a good time for it to come out,” he added.

But golf is often an emotional roller coaster. While Hager was on her way to a state-qualifying finish, teammate Emily Merryfield experienced a let down, missing a trip to the class C event in Columbus by one single stroke.

“We’re all bummed for her,” Delhay said.

The senior has been on a tear of late. Last week she shot a 90 at the Best of the West competition--and almost broke into the 80s, missing a six foot putt on 18. Before that, she captured the Kimball tournament with a 93. At Valentine, she looked to be on her way to another low 90s round--and a berth in the state tournament.

But on 16 her tee shot hooked to the right. Not by much, really--just enough for the ball to find rough and disappear for good. With the penalty for a missing ball, she took an eight. Then on 18 she found the trees and couldn’t recover.

Her round of 99 fell just behind Kortney Hagerman of Chadron.

Golf is like that.

“That’s what I told her,” Delhay said. “She’s going to come back--but it will be on a college team.”

On the team side, Ainsworth came storming out of nowhere, knocking 20 shots off expectations--and knocking Kimball into fifth place in the team standings.

“I expected fourth,” Delhay reported. “I don’t know where Ainsworth came from.”

For Hager, the stunning 85 means a well-earned trip to Columbus October 10-11.