(Sentinel photo by Roy Tucker) Hinton's Kaitlin Rodgers watches a shot during action earlier this season. Rodgers was the top golfer in the War Eagle Conference this season, helping the Blackhawks to an unbeaten league record. [Click to enlarge]

Kaitlin Rodgers capped an outstanding regular season with a medalist-winning round of 43 to win the War Eagle Conference Golf Tournament, leading Hinton to its third straight WEC title.

Rodgers' impressive spring earned her a spot on the WEC All-Conference Team as Hinton swept the regular season and WEC tournament with a 8-0 spotless record.

Rodgers was joined on the first team by teammates Erin Hedlund and Britni Freed. At the WEC tournament, Hedlund finished third overall one stroke behind second-place finisher Carrie Egdorf of South O'Brien. Hedlund carded a 46. The junior was a second-team pick last year.

Repeat first-team selection Freed placed fifth at the tournament with her round of 47. Both Freed and Hedlund are returning letter-winners and have one more season of eligibility left.

Gehlen had one member of their 5-3 team named to the first team. Emily Tentinger shot a 55 at the WEC tournament to help lead the Jays to a fifth-place finish.

Tentinger's teammate Katie Freking also recorded a 55 and received second team honors for her play this spring.

Akron-Westfield had a pair second team performers in Kaylee Hughes and Kaitlyn Klemme. At the WEC tournament, Klemme finished with a 67 and Hughes shot a 56 on the afternoon. The Westerners finished 2-6 in regular season duals.

Jessica Heeren was Remsen-St. Mary's sole honoree with her second team selection. Heeren shot a 66 at the WEC edging out A-W's Klemme but the combined team of St. Mary's and Spalding finished winless in the WEC regular season with a 0-8 record.

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Hinton added two more selections to the WEC's second team when senior Steph Smith and Sam Thiele were named to the squad. Smith is a repeat second team selection and earned her honors with her 52 at the WEC, finishing eighth. Thiele shot a 59 at the tournament.

The Hinton boys were unable to secure their fourth straight WEC title but did have two first team selections in Nate Freed and Cory Westphal. The seniors have led the Blackhawks to three WEC titles in their high school careers.

Freed finished fourth in the WEC tournament on Tuesday afternoon as he shot a 38. Freed played a play-off with three other competitors and narrowly missed out on third place. The senior is a a two-time letter-winner and was a member of last year's state runner-up team. Freed also was a member of the WEC first team last year.

Westphal shot a 40 and earned his third straight first team selection. As a sophomore, the senior played on Hinton's state championship team and was on the Blackhawks' runner-up squad this past season.

Dustin Kruse, also of Hinton, was a member of the JV squad last year and averaged a 44.9 per nine holes. Kruse shot a 45 at the WEC and helped Hinton to a third place finish at the tournament and a second place regular season finish.

Akron-Westfield's Justin Smith was named to the second team for his performance this spring. Smith shot a 44 at the WEC and helped A-W to a seventh place finish. The Westerners also finished 2-7 in the WEC regular season.

Austin Sitzmann was the last area performer to be named to the WEC team. Sitzmann was arguably Gehlen's most consistent golfer all year and it paid off as he was named to the second team. Sitzmann shot a 45 at the WEC and the Jays finished eighth at the WEC. In the conference's regular season, the Jays finished tied for sixth with Sergeant Bluff-Luton at 4-5.

Final team standings (girls):

Hinton 8-0; South O'Brien 6-2; Gehlen Catholic 5-3; West Sioux 5-3; Unity Christian 4-4; MMC 4-4; Akron-Westfield 2-6; SB-L 2-6; RSM-Spalding 0-8

Girls' first team all-conference:

Kaitlin Rodgers, Hinton; Erin Hedlund, Hinton; Britni Freed, Hinton; Emily Tentinger, Gehlen; Carrie Egdorf, South O'Brien; Katie Bauer, MMC; Justean DeGroot, Unity; Aphton Roberts, South O'Brien; Karlie Kruid, West Sioux; Jessica Zubrod, MMC

Girls' second team all-conference:

Katie Freking, Gehlen; Jessica Heeren, RSM; Kaylee Hughes, A-W; Kaitlyn Klemme, A-W; Steph Smith, Hinton; Sam Thiele, Hinton; Alisha Van Engen, SB-L; Leslie Kallsen, West Sioux; Leah Tewes, South O'Brien; Michaela Van Klompenberg, Unity

Final team standings (boys):

South O'Brien 9-0; Hinton 8-1; Unity Christian 7-2; West Sioux 5-4; MMC 5-4; Gehlen 4-5; SB-L 4-5; A-W 2-7; Spalding 1-8; RSM 0-8

Boys' first team all-conference:

Cory Westphal, Hinton; Nate Freed, Hinton; Jerod Reinking, West Sioux; Neal Malenke, Unity; Nic Steffans, South O'Brien; Kyle Petrich, South O'Brien; Austin Schuiteman, Unity; Caleb Malenke, Unity; Derek Jensen, SB-L; Jacob Lenhoff, MMC; John Mascarello, SB-L

Boys' second team all-conference:

Dustin Kruse, Hinton; Justin Smith, A-W; Austin Sitzmann, Gehlen; Adam Feiner, SB-L; Dillion Musilek, West Sioux; Ryan Brasser, South O'Brien; Matt Brummel, Unity; Matt Cole, South O'Brien; Ethan Schuver, Spalding Catholic