CHADRON, Neb. –  Let it rain!

That's what was decided halfway through the 2025 Don Beebe Golf Classic, presented by Monument Health, last weekend at Ridgeview Country Club. While the 34 four-person teams all played 18 holes through the rain on Saturday, the second day of the event on Sunday was cancelled with the rain showing no signs of letting up.

"It was the right choice," said Tom Simons, who for the 14^th time was a member of the classic's winning team. "It was kind of miserable Saturday, but with the use of towels and umbrellas we made it. However, I don't think anybody wanted to do that again, and it was better for the course if we didn't."

Simons, his sons Scott and Brett, and Judd Hageman finished atop the championship flight by shooting a 58, just one stroke more than last year's first-round score that the Simons trio and Matt Watson fired while also winning the Championship Flight a year ago when the weather was favorable. 

The 58 was four strokes better than the 62 of the runners-up foursome consisting of CSC women's golf coach John Ritzen, CSC football offensive coordinator Micah Smith, Ritzen's cousin and former Chadron State pass receiver Greg Trepka of Parker, Colorado, and longtime friend and ex-Chadron resident Beau Miskimins of Timnath, Colorado.

Tom Simons said his quartet had 12 birdies, one eagle and five pars. The elder Simons said he can't hit the ball as far as he used to, but he was happy that he can still putt and earned the flag prize given for making the longest putt. 

Hageman, known as one of Chadron's best golfers as well as a state champion wrestler in 1989, was the sixth "No. 4" team member that the Simons have had in the last six years—preceded by Rob Stack, Don Dotson, Randy Horse, Randy Burk and Watson. Each of those teams has finished first or second in the classic. 

Three foursomes shot 64s to complete the top five. Rob Stack earned another high finish with his team consisting of his son Jayden, daughter Kiya and son-in-law Blake Miller. A foursome of Brody Roes, Chapman Ham, Cody Roes and Joe Cameron also carded a 64 while Chadron's Dan and Pete Johnson along with Jens Johnson and Aaron Beitels were the final group at that number.

It's just the fourth time the full scheduled 36 holes weren't played. Only 27 holes were played in 1995, the first year the classic was held, again in 1999 and also in 2022. Each of those times the action was cut short on Sunday afternoon due to weather.

Even Saturday's first round was questionable. Due to start at 7 a.m., the morning tee times were delayed until 9 and then 9:30 before the rains lightened and the action began. Precipitation continued through most of the day, which was needed for both the area and the golf course, but made the golf rounds a challenge.

Nobody quit on Saturday before they'd played all 18 holes, with some golfers still trying sink their shots at 9:30 p.m. with artifical lights long after it was dark. The hope was to play at least nine holes on Sunday with a delayed start, but by the morning the decision was made to call off the rest of the classic. 

Chadron State Athletics would like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the Don Beebe Golf Classic a success – 385 Xpress Lube, Adidas, Bean Broker, Big Bat's, Chadron Community Hospital, Chadron Motor Company, Dietrich Distributing, Eagle Chevrolet, Game One, Homestead Bank, High Plains Beverages, Holiday Inn Express, Innovest, Monument Health, Outlaw Printers, Platte Valley Bank, Runza, Scooter's Coffee, Security First Bank, Subway, TeamMates Mentoring, The Ridge, Wahlstrom Ford and Yeradi Lawn Service.

The results by flight follow: 
              Championship Flight—1, Tom Simons and Judd Hageman, Chadron, Brett Simons, Rapid City, and Scott Simons, Gillette, 58; 2, John Ritzen and Micah Smith, Chadron, Beau Miskimins, Timnath, Colo., and Greg Trepka, Parker, Colo., 62; 3, Rob Stack, Chadron, Jayden Stack, Wellington, Colo., and Blake Miller and Kiya Stack-Miller, Sioux City, Iowa, 64; 4, Brody Roes, Chadron,  Chapman Ham, Omaha, Cody Roes, Lincoln, and Joe Cameron, White River, S.D., 64; 5, Dan and Pete Johnson, Chadron, Jens Johnson, Knoxville, Tenn., and Aaron Beitels, Rapid City, 64; 6, Broc and Trevor Berry, Jacksyn Behrends and Tyler Westlake, Chadron, 65; 7, Danny Anderson, Hunter Hageman, Cory Olson and Jordan Raben, Chadron, 65.

              First Flight—1, Misty and Rick Hickstein and Rob Wahlstrom, Chadron, and Cory Wahlstrom, Firth, Neb., 66; 2, Mitch Barry, Tyson Pourier and Jason Sommerville, Chadron, and John Thayer, Yankton, S.D., 66; 3, Andrew and Brandon Avila, Henry, Neb., Brooke Kramer, Aurora, Colo., and Kinsey Smith, Windsor, Colo., 66; 4, Brett Hunter and Darren Drabbels, Chadron, Tim Clayton, Sargent, Neb., and Clint Hurlbert, Burwell, 67; 5, Lee Baumann, Bonita Springs, Fla., Chris Baumann and Jeff Wieting, Denver, and Scott Wieting, Castle Rock, Colo., 67; 6, Randy Bauer, Chadron, Josh Bauer, Pierre, S.D., Aaron Bauer, Arvada, Colo., and Ben Bauer, Johnstown, Colo., 68; 7, Sandy Christy and Todd Rosenbach, Parker, Colo., Levi Clarke, Lusk, and Reid Rogers, Slinger, Wis., Slinger, Wis., 68; 8, Braedyn and Kaeson Clarke and George and Jonah Matulka, Alliance, 68.

              Second Flight—1, Rod Borders, Chick Hensley and Dennis King, Gordon, and Chuck Niemeyer, Ashland, Neb., 70; 2, Corey, Darrick and Allison Arndt and Kevin Allison, Gillette, 70; 3, Clint Sasse, Chadron and Branden Gunter, Cole Montgomery and Kyle Vinich, Casper, 71; 4, CJ Bach, Jay Long and Jeff Turman, Chadron, and Jesse Clarke, Alliance, 71; 5, Scott Ritzen, Chadron; Brad Smith, Tucson, Ariz., and Jake and Riley Miskimins, Windsor, Colo., 71; 6, Chris Francis, Chadron, and Shawn, Jennifer  and Konnor Kralik, West Point, Neb., 71; 7, Jacoby and Sammy Garcia and Rhett Flint, Gillette, and Jarod Brockmiller, Valentine, 72; 8, Trent and Tucker Allison, Moorcroft, Wyo., and Preston Renner and Mason Watt, Broomfield, Colo., 72; 9, Wes Coomes, Ron Moore and John Tausen, Chadron, and Jake Sasse, Rapid City, 72; 10, Chris Conroy, Gordon, Kyle McCarthy, Omaha, and Lance Pickett and Austen Stephens, Chadron; 72.

              Third Flight—1, Jerry and Josh McLain and Braylon Patterson, Chadron, and Jake McLain, Holdrege, 73; 2, Cody Davis, Fort Morgan, Colo., Hank Jackson, Lingle, Wyo., and Justin Leman and Robert Ricks, Douglas, Wyo., 73; 3, Rob and Cobie Bila, Jim Gardner and Matt Mickley, Chadron, 73; 4, Brian Creech, Billings, Aaron Halling, North Platte, Jacob Rissler, Alamosa, Colo., and Lucas Rissler, Gillette, 74; 5, Trace Armstrong, Giovanni Cassioppi, Sam DeSeriere and Connor Weingart, Chadron, 74; 6, Mike Lecher, Taylor Summers, Tommy Wilson, Chadron, and Larry Yeradi, Wright, Wyo., 76; 7, Craig Clarke, Hot Springs, Bruce Scheopner, Roger Stevens and Bob Zahm, Chadron, 78; 8, Rick Koza, Windsor, Colo., Reid Koza and Avrianna Vega, Loveland, Colo., and Harley Rhoades, Chadron, 82.