Lions dominate at Regionals and qualify for the State Golf Meet, June 1-2

State qualifiers - Those who will be representing the Clear Lake girls golf team at the State Golf Tournament are (L-R): Rebecca DeLong, Meagan Paine, Hannah Blaha, Jaden Ainley, Macey Holck, Meghan DeLong and Phoebe Nelson.  Submitted photo

by Marianne Gasaway

The Clear Lake girls golf team won their Regional golf meet at Waverly Municipal Golf Course Monday, May. 24.   Clear Lake shot a team score of 343, beating out West Delaware, who shot 375, by 32 strokes.  Both teams, in turn, qualified for the State Golf Tournament at River Valley Golf Course in Adel June 1 and 2. 

Clear Lake had three of the top six golfers at Regionals.  Meghan DeLong (74) finished in second place overall. Rebecca DeLong (78) was third and Jaden Ainley finished sixth overall with a 93.  Meagan Paine and Macey Holck both shot 98s for the Lions and Phoebe Nelson shot 100.

“Qualifying for the state tournament has been our biggest goal of the season,” said Head Coach Colby Andrews.  “I can’t begin to explain how proud I am of this group of young ladies. The girls are a true joy to be around and it makes it even better to be as talented as we are this year.  Coaching this group over this season made me realize how much I missed it last year. We are not taking anything for granted this year.”

The Lions will be joined at State by fellow Regional champs Gilbert, Creston, Washington and Wahlert Catholic, along with runner-ups Nevada, ADM, Lisbon, Monticello and West Delaware.

Washington and Gilbert, who are both undefeated this season, come into the State tourney ranked one and two in the Class 3A team ratings.  At their Regionals, Washington defeated runner-up Lisbon by 62 strokes at Oskaloosa, while Gilbert beat Nevada by 25 strokes at the Storm Lake Regional.

Clear Lake is ranked third, followed by Wahlert  fourth.  ADM comes into State as a sixth ranked team, Creston 18th and Monticello 21st. Wahlert beat Monticello by 17 strokes at the DeWitt Regional.  Unranked Creston beat ADM by 10 strokes at the Atlantic Regional.

“I knew we would be really good this year, but we have blown my expectations out of the water,” said Coach Andrews.  “In 2018 when we made State we were just happy to be there. This year, we have a legitimate chance to win a state championship.”

The Lions are coming into form at the right time of the season, the coach noted.  

“We had a transfer in Phoebe Nelson, who has made a huge contribution to the team this year,” said Andrews.  “Jaden Ainley is a junior and the only returning letterwinner from the 2019 team that fell just short of making State. Other than that, essentially we have two classes of freshmen with the current sophomores not getting a season last year. Rebecca DeLong, Meghan DeLong, Macey Holck, Meagan Paine, and Hannah Blaha have been huge additions to this team that lost four seniors in 2019.”

Rebecca DeLong, a sophomore, was rated third in Class 3A individual rankings released May 8. Her sister, Meghan, a freshman, was fifth.  

“My Assistant Coaches Mark Holck and Mike Oimoen have been a huge help to this team, as well.  This year has been a blast and with the youth,” added Andrews. “This team I expect to compete for state titles for the next few years.  The whole team is really excited about playing at River Valley Golf Course with a chance to bring home a State championship.”