Girls post perfect week on the links

(Above) Hannah Blaha watches her ball at the Clear Lake Invitational on Tuesday.  She carded a 102 at the meet.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

by Marianne Gasaway

The Clear Lake girls golf team went an impressive 12-0 over the past week. This week the team looks to continue its winning ways Thursday when they travel to Fort Dodge.  Monday, May 10, they host the North Central Conference Tournament at the Mason City Country Club.

CL 178, IF-A 209, H-D (NC)

On Monday, the girls had a triangular with Iowa Falls-Alden and Hampton-Dumont-CAL. The Lions won the meet with a score of 178. Iowa Falls shot a 209 and Hampton took a no contest. 

Rebecca DeLong shot a 38 and was the first place medalist. Meghan DeLong came in with a 44 and was second place medalist. Hannah Blaha shot a 47 and Jaden Ainley carded a 49. 

The JV team shot a 210 with Meagan Paine as the medalist with a 50.

CL Invitational 

Tournament

On Tuesday, Clear Lake hosted its first ever Clear Lake Invitational Tournament. The six teams who played in the tourney were Clear Lake, New Hampton, Lake Mills, Central Springs, Osage, Charles City. The Lions won the inaugural tourney with a score of 352. New Hampton came in second with a 357, followed by Central Springs (419), Osage (432), Lake Mills (437), Charles City (441). 

“This tournament had a great turn out and we will hopefully be continuing to host this each year. The weather was perfect and the tournament moved extremely quick,” said Clear Lake Coach Colby Andrews.  

The tournament was also especially satisfying since it marked the first time the Lions have beaten New Hampton this year.  Clear Lake’s only two losses on the season are to the Chickasaws.  The rivalry will continue, as the Lions still have the opportunity to play New Hampton two more times.

“This was the lowest score we have shot on an 18-hole tournament since I have been the head coach. This score was lower than the 361 we shot in 2018 to qualify for state,” noted Andrews.

The Lions’ own Meghan DeLong was the overall first place medalist with a 73. Rebecca DeLong was runner-up medalist with a 77. 

Clear Lake’s other counting scores were provided by Hannah Blaha and Jaden Ainley, who both shot a 102. Phoebe Nelson carded a 100 for the Lions and Macey Holck shot a 109. 

  “It was really fun to watch the DeLong sisters shoot these scores. Rebecca has been the bulldog all year, shooting low scores and winning first place medalist in most tournaments. We have been waiting for a break out score from Meghan this year. We have seen it in practice and glimpses of it in meets, but it was nice to see both sisters put it all together in the same tournament,” added Coach Andrews.

Clarion Tournament

Saturday the Lions traveled to Clarion to play at the Clarmond Country Club in another six-team tournament.  Clear Lake, Humboldt, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Lake Mills, Algona and Garner-Hayfield-Ventura were on the course.

Clear Lake won with a score of 379. Humboldt was runner-up with a 416 and GHV was third with 438. Clarion (441), Algona (467) and Lake Mills (498) rounded out the scores. 

Clear Lake’s Rebecca DeLong was second place medalist with a score of 82. Meghan DeLong shot 83. Jaden Ainley 105, Meagan Paine 109 and Macey Holck 112 for the Lions.

Nora Carlson, from Humboldt, was medalist with an 80.

“The conditions were absolutely brutal. It ended up hitting over 90 degrees and sustained winds all day of 30 mph with higher gusts in the afternoon,” said Coach Andrews.  “Three hundred seventh-nine is not the score we would have liked to shoot, but with those kind of conditions we had a pretty darn good day.”