PHOTO PROVIDED - Marshalltown freshman Ryan Schmit shows off the ball he shot his school-record-tying round of 32 on Thursday at Fort Dodge Country Club.

FORT DODGE — Marshalltown boys golf coach Lucas Johnson liked the way his team played smart and avoided the big number.

Even better was the way the Bobcats put up the low numbers.

The MHS boys scored a season-low round to defeat Fort Dodge in a CIML Iowa Conference dual on Thursday at Fort Dodge Country Club, drubbing the Dodgers 144-183 behind a school-record-tying low nine-hole round from freshman Ryan Schmit.

Schmit shot a 3-under-par round of 32 to tie for the school record with Andrew Howard (1997) and Nate Vance (2014), helping the Bobcats complete their best collective round of the fall for a whitewashing of the host Dodgers.

“All the way through the lineup, we had guys playing great golf,” Johnson said. “I was especially happy with the way we managed the course and didn’t put ourselves in positions where we had to grind to avoid the big number.

“Fort Dodge has some tricky greens that can lead to some tough putts if you’re not careful, but as a team we did a good job of three-putt avoidance and were able to get a few long ones to drop as well.”

Schmit scored the meet’s low round to claim medalist honors ahead of his older brother, junior Colin Schmit, who shot an even-par 35 for the runner-up spot. Grant Greazel carded a 38 and Drake Polley shot a 39 to give the Bobcats four scoring rounds under 40.

Kevin Strand (40) and Cael Sandvick (41) both put up scores that would have worked for the Bobcats to get past Fort Dodge on this day.

Ryan Schmit’s round of 32 is the only one of the three all-time low rounds in MHS history to be carded away from Elmwood Country Club.

“Ryan Schmit was the perfect example of playing steady and consistent golf,” Johnson said. “He got it to 3-under after back-to-back birdies on No. 6 and 7 and made two solid pars to close it out.”

It’s also a nice way to transition into the postseason for Marshalltown, which on Tuesday will make its way to Mason City for the CIML Iowa Conference tournament at Highland Park Golf Course. The conference meet tees off at 10 a.m.