SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Twin Ports Collegiate has been a staple in the Yellowjacket men's golf team's schedule in recent years. The COVID-19 shutdown forced the event to be placed on the backburner before returning in the 2023-24 season. Last year's event saw the Yellowjackets grab first place and never look back, emerging as the victor on their home course of Nemadji Golf Club.
 
Well, the Yellowjackets did it again.
 
Senior Conner Willard (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing), the event's reigning champion, had another superb weekend. He, alongside teammate Andrew Rude (Superior, Wis./Superior) ended the tournament with identical rounds of 71 and 69, forcing a playoff. On the first hole, Willard successfully defended his title with a birdie to claim medalist honors.
 
Tournament Notes

• Willard's front nine saw five birdies while carding two more on the back nine.
• Rude rattled off a total of five birdies, earning a 35/34 split on the day.
• Nate Burke (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) finished the tournament in third place, adding two birdies to his round of 77.
• Cracking the top ten with a 38/41 split was Ian Bundy (Austin, Minn./Austin), firing two total birdies for a closing round of 79.
• Trevor Durfee (Superior, Wis./Superior) ended his day with an 81, shaving two strokes from his opening round.
• The second Yellowjacket entry claimed third place, led by the duo of Matthew Unger and August Lang (Somerset, Wis./Somerset). The two carded 39/38 and 40/37 splits, respectively, ending with five-over 77's.
• TJ Sitek fired birdies on the par-three third, par-five 11th and par-five 13th, resulting in a closing round score of 79.
• Carson Armstrong (Wautoma, Wis./Wautoma) and Brayden Tyman (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet) wrapped up the B team with scores of 81 and 83, respectively.
• The final 'Jacket squad was led by newcomer Caden Knutson (Hopkins, Minn./Hopkins), parring 11-of-18 holes to land in 23rd place with a 79.
• Seth Pettingill (Superior, Wis./Superior) and Boone Mathison (Tomah, Wis./Tomah) finalized their days with rounds of 82 and 83. Pettingill went one-under par on two holes, while Mathison marked a two on the par-three sixth.
• Rounding out the Yellowjackets were Carson Riddle (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon) and Zach Lussier (Brossard, Quebec/College Charles-Lemoyne). Shooting identical scores of 44 on the front and back, Riddle ended with an 88, while Lussier capped his weekend with a 96.
• Playing the tournament as an individual, Kobe Grant's (Vernon, British Columbia/South Kamloops Secondary) Sunday saw him shave three strokes off his opening round of 89, ending with an 86 on the tournament's final round.
• UW-Superior's top finisher placed a 25-stroke lead in front of second place Wisconsin Lutheran.

 
The Yellowjackets are back in action Thursday, taking part in the UMAC Preview. The event is scheduled at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker, Minn.