Bangasser claimed Class 1A sectional medalist honors for the second year in a row, rebounding from a rocky start for a 3-over-par 75 to lead the Spartans to the team title on Friday at Town & Country Golf Club.

Grundy Center shot a 347 to win the sectional crown by 31 strokes ahead of BCLUW (378) and Gladbrook-Reinbeck (396), which held on for a hotly-contested third spot. With four teams separated by two strokes, the Rebels narrowly thwarted GMG (397), AGWSR (397) and Hudson (398) for the third and final berth into next Friday’s district meet at Nashua Town & Country Club in Nashua.

Bangasser had a 10-shot advantage over the rest of the field, with Grundy Center junior Matthew Sternhagen sharing runner-up honors with AGWSR junior Alex Hames after both shot an 85. Hames and Hudson’s Jacob Weirsma, who shot 89, earned individual advancement to next week’s district meet after finishing as the top two golfers not on qualifying teams.

BCLUW was led by senior Keegan Rhinehart, who took fourth place with his 86. The Comets also got a 93 from Lane Stanley, a 96 from Calob Keller and a 103 from both Blake Mann and Brad Barkema.

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE • Grundy Center junior Matthew Sternhagen stares down his chip into the fifth green as it bounces off the pin during Friday’s Class 1A sectional golf meet at Town & Country Golf Club in Grundy Center. Sternhagen shared the second-best score of the day with his 85 as the Spartans won the sectional title.

Grundy Center’s sectional championship score also consisted of Nolan Freeman’s 92 and a 95 from both Tanner Appel and Andy Cox.

Bangasser, however, was the only Spartan who shaved shots off his first nine after the turn. He went 39-36–75 in spite of four bogeys on his first five holes by going 1-under over his final 13 holes.

“After I started 4-over after five holes, I was worried,” said the Iowa Western Community College commit. “This is the big stage where it’s play well or go home, and I didn’t want to let my team down. I found some composure and played the rest of the holes really well, and I’m really glad it could help my team get a win.”

Bangasser birdied the par-4 seventh and then dropped a long birdie putt on No. 5 — his 14th hole — to slide back to only 2-over for the round. A bogey 6 on the ninth hole — a straightaway 562-yard par-5 into a stiff easterly wind — brought him into the clubhouse and helped the Spartans advance through sectionals once again.

“It’s definitely a huge accomplishment for me, as anytime I step on a course I want to compete to be the best golfer out there,” Bangasser said. “But the reason I push myself to be the best is so our team can be successful. Our team is something special, and I try to set an example for my five brothers out there.”

T-R PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE