Two runner-up titles for boys golf

It was a week of runner-up finishes for the boys golf team.  The Lions, rated 10th in the May 8 team rankings released by the state, placed second in the North Central Conference Tournament, as well as the Class 3A Sectional at Manchester.  The team will advance to District play Friday at Waverly.

NCC Tourney

Coach Eric Perry said it simply wasn’t the day his team had hoped for against conference competition Monday at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge.  Webster City, a team which the Lions split with earlier this season, captured the NCC Tournament title with a 328.  The Lions were runner-up with 336 and Hampton-Dumont finished third with 339.  The remainder of the field included Humboldt (342), St. Ed’s (348), Iowa Falls-Alden (358), Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (375) and Algona (381).

Eric Ritter and Easton DeVries each fired 81s to lead the Lions and tied for fourth individually.  Ritter had rounds of 37-44, while DeVries scored 41-40.

“Eric  and Easton had some up and down holes,” explained Coach Perry.  “Eric started out great and had a round-leading round going, but finished the back nine on a poor note.  Easton started the other way, with a triple bogey on the first hole, and then finished the day +7.

Andrew Crane ran into some trouble on the back side and finished with a (43-43) 86.

“He had a good round going, but three holes did him in,” said Coach Perry.

“Gavin Anderson continues to grind.  He has holes in his game, but battles to score well.  He is holding our team together and allowing us to place high as a team in our competitions,” added Perry.  Anderson was the fourth scorer with a (43-45) 88.

Also competing for the Lions was Josh Blaha (47-56 103) and Tyler LeFevre (50-54 104).

Sectional tournament

When post-season comes, it’s all about advancing.  And that’s just what the Lions did with a runner-up finish at Manchester. Fifth ranked Waverly-Shell Rock finished first with 322, followed by the Lions at 341. Independence challenged with 344.  

“I can’t remember the last time we had to sweat out a finish in the postseason,” said Coach Perry.  “We’ve been on the other end of an “every stroke matters” situation this year.”

The coach said he suspected the Lions would be fighting to advance and was proud they battled through.

“It was Eric (Ritter) again coming through during the back nine and finishing strong.  He put it together at the end,” said the coach.

Ritter fired a 38 on the back nine for a team-leading 79.  He finished fifth overall.

Hogan Hansen and Derek Brandt, both from W-SR, placed first and second with a 76 and 77 respectively.

Freshman Gavin Anderson was next for the Lions with a (41-45) 86

“Gavin stepped up on the front side of the course,” said Coach Perry. “Another grind it out round placed him second on the team today.”

Easton DeVries had problems late and carded a (41-46) 87.   

“The back nine made him really think about how to grind it out.  We need him more and more the rest of the year,” said the coach.

Andrew Crane also faltered down the stretch and four holes of triple bogeys did him in, according to Perry.  He shot a (43-46) 89.  

“Andrew knows how to bounce back from a bad hole, he just needs to remember where to miss,” said Perry.  He had too many penalty shots.”

Freshmen Tyler Plagge and Josh Blaha had rounds of (46-50) 96 and (47-50) 97 respectively.