Fresh off record best performances the last time on the links, the Barton Community College men's golf team stayed hot through two rounds of the NJCAA National Championship Preview before tougher conditions during Wednesday's final haul around Newton's Sand Creek Station Golf Course dropped the Cougars into a final 8th place.

The Cougars' Tuesday morning round of 5-over 293 was good for 4th place of the fifteen field team but despite a three stroke improvement in the afternoon of 2-over 290 slipped Barton into the 5th spot.

As conditions toughened with just three teams shooting sub-300 and one having a better final round than its previous two rounds, Barton carded a 24-over 312 to slip three spots into the final eighth spot at 31-over 895.

Barton finished four strokes behind 12th ranked Indian Hills Community College and four strokes better than 5th ranked Midland College.

Second ranked New Mexico Junior College rallied in the final round to take the title at 6-under 858 in bettering top ranked Hutchinson Community College's 3-under 861.

Axel Bolander, posting a program record low round in Barton's last tournament, led the Cougars with a tie for 10th place of the 83-participant field. Bolander fired a morning third best 2-under 70, slipped into 7th with an even par 72 afternoon round, then finished up with a 4-over 76 for a final 2-over 218. Carding a field second best fourteen birdies and playing a fourth best 4-under on the par 5's, the par 3's took its toll at 4-over during the three rounds including a double bogey Wednesday off-setting four birdies on the day.

Contrary to Bolander's hiccups on the par 3's, Otto Heden was second best in the field on the short holes at 2-under amongst his ten birdies during the two days. Heden opened up with a sixth best 1-under 70, falling to an eventual tie for 22nd at 6-over 222 following 75 and 76 final rounds.

Tied at 37th, Ethan Bonnett played the par 4's in a field 8th best 1-over, finishing at 10-over 226 carding a 75, an even par 72, and final round 79.

Tom Lehmann placed 63rd at 16-over 232 (77-73-82) while Warathan Thamachok rounded out the Barton entries in a tie for 66th at 18-over 234 (80-73-81)

Barton will have a few weeks away from competition before hosting the Barton Invitational held October 10-11 at Lake Barton Golf Course.

NJCAA National Championship Preview results: Team  Individuals