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Slimmest of margins leaves MHS third in Joe August Invite

T-R PHOTO BY ANNE VANCE - Marshalltown’s Kevin Strand pitches onto the 14th green at the American Legion Memorial Golf Course during Friday’s Joe August Invitational.

The homestretch earned its name on Friday at the Joe August Invitational, but the hometown Bobcats were unable to capitalize in the final phase.

The Bobcats came up six strokes shy of Southeast Polk at the top of the team standings and just one shot back of runner-up Indianola, taking third place with a 302 total on Friday at the American Legion Memorial Golf Course.

Marshalltown’s four scoring golfers were a combined 6-over-par on the final three holes at the Legion, with all of those undesirable extra strokes sustained on the par-3 16th and 18th holes.

Three Bobcats finished inside the top-18 to earn flags for their efforts, but those measly excess strokes at the end of the round meant the difference between third place and the opportunity for a better result.

“We got off to a slow start on the front nine and had some higher than usual scores in our opening holes, but I was proud of the way that our guys battled back and finished their rounds,” said MHS head coach Lucas Johnson. “We struggled a bit on the greens and I would definitely compliment superintendent Chad Plaehn for having the putting surfaces in great shape. They were challenging but fair, and combined with the breezes definitely added to the challenge on the day.

T-R PHOTO BY ANNE VANCE

“On a different day, we get a few more birdie putts to drop and it’s an even closer margin.”

Seniors Colin Schmit and Grant Greazel tied for the sixth-best round of the tournament, shooting 4-over-par rounds of 74 to lead the Bobcats. Schmit was awarded sixth and Greazel got seventh, and Ryan Schmit’s 76 was good for 13th place as well.

Drake Polley narrowly missed a top-18 finish, placing 19th with his scoring round of 78.

Kevin Strand (89) and Jacob Thiessen (92) also competed for the Bobcats.

“This was a meet that goes a long way in showing the guys how valuable one or two strokes can be coming down the homestretch,” Johnson said.

Southeast Polk’s four scoring rounds were all 76 or better, highlighted by meet medalist Cooper Hanson’s even-par 70. Ottumwa’s Cale Leonard shot 71 for second place and Indianola’s Preston Bily earned third with his 72.

Marshalltown is back on the links Tuesday with a trip to Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls for the Tiger Invitational.

Joe August Invitational

At Marshalltown

American Legion Memorial Golf Course, par 70

Team Standings — 1. Southeast Polk 296, 2. Indianola 301, 3. Marshalltown 302, 4. Ankeny Centennial 303, 5. Norwalk 310, 6. Ankeny 321, 7. Ames 328, 8. Ottumwa 334, 9. Mason City 344, 10. Fort Dodge 346, 11. Marshalltown JV 358, 12. Des Moines Roosevelt 367.

Individual (top 10) — 1. Cooper Hanson, SEP, 70; 2. Cale Leonard, OTT, 71; 3. Preston Bily, IND, 72; 4. Jack Winkel, AC, 73; 5. Jackson Overton, IND, 73; 6. Colin Schmit, MHS, 74; 7. Grant Greazel, MHS, 74; 8. Jack Wahman, SEP, 74; 9. Braden Nicholson, NOR, 75; 10. Derek Peng, AMES, 75.

SOUTHEAST POLK (296) — Hanson 70, J. Wahman 74, Calvin McNeeley 76, Sam Wahman 76, Aaron Estell 81, Zach Julander 86.

INDIANOLA (301) — Bily 72, Overton 73, Graham Hilton 77, Cooper Nailor 79, Casey Daughenbaugh 81, Carson Graham 82.

MARSHALLTOWN (302) — C. Schmit 74, Greazel 74, Ryan Schmit 76, Drake Polley 78, Kevin Strand 89, Jacob Thiessen 92.

ANKENY CENTENNIAL (303) — Winkel 73, Caden Kelling 76, Ben Meier 77, Kellen Welsch 77, Lawson Hachmeister 78, Ethan King 79.

NORWALK (310) — Nicholson 75, Nathan Lesley 77, Cael Sherwood 78, Braylon Stockwell 80, Ryan Jermier 80, Lance Nielsen 82.

ANKENY (321) — Drew Hensen 78, Avin Legg 79, Sam Parkinson 80, Jake O’Brien 84, Conner O’Brien 86, Evan Chapman 90.

AMES (328) — Peng 75, Sam Vander Wilt 83, Bowen Flemming 84, Benji Genise 86, Elliot Stenberg 88, Hunter Gorman 94.

OTTUMWA (334) — Leonard 71, Trent Grooms 85, Tyse Barker 86, Cade Hougland 92, Chase Thompson 94, Logan Storto 100.

MASON CITY (344) — Ryan Berkley 81, Aidan Thompson 87, John Brandt 87, Drew DeGabriele 89, Gavin Als 92, Gavin Hermanson 93.

FORT DODGE (346) — Andrew Alstott 79, Peyton Hays 87, Kord Utley 88, Nathan Beekman 92, Carson Werning 96, Aidan Porter 99.

MARSHALLTOWN JV (358) — Cael Sandvick 85, Tyler Faltys 88, Eli Polley 91, Brecken Payne 94.

DM ROOSEVELT (367) — Tony Song 87, Ziggy Page 89, Elliott Cataldi 95, Mason Garner 96, Evan Kohlsdorf 101, Jacob Althoff 102.

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