On a difficult day for scoring at Elmwood Country Club, the Bobcats ran away with the team and individual titles to reach the state golf tournament for the second-consecutive year, led by a 5-over 75 from senior Amber Henson.

A team score of 342 was enough to win the team title by 28 shots over second-place Linn-Mar, who also qualified for state. The home-course advantage at any regional is usually important, and head coach Lucas Johnson said the advantage Elmwood provided the Bobcats was pivotal to the comfort level and quality of performance shown by the team on Wednesday.

“Home sweet home, you know?” Johnson said. “Our girls know that if they battle and if they play their best we’re going to be in a good spot, because it’s hard for everybody.

“There were shots out there that we executed and we’ve practiced throughout the year, and they played well today.”

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHFLING - The Marshalltown High School senior Amber Henson watches her birdie putt roll toward the 18th hole during Wednesday’s Class 4A Region 3 Final at Elmwood Country Club. Henson claimed medalist honors to help the Bobcats reclaim the regional title and advance back to the state meet.

Henson’s 75 clinched the regional individual title despite the senior not recording a strong closing stretch. Henson went out in an even-par 35 on the front nine with one birdie and one bogey. However on the back nine, a 4-over stretch from holes 15 to 17 stopped her from running away from the rest of the field.

Senior Norah Wilson and freshman Natalie Henson shot 18-over 88s to tie for fourth place. Wilson birdied her last hole (No. 17) and had five double-bogeys. Wilson said she was thrilled with how the Bobcats played and felt it was right for the Bobcats’ three seniors (Amber Henson, Wilson and Brynn Van Buren) to go out with a state tournament berth.

“I am so proud,” Wilson said. “We’ve been together for so long, it’s good to have this last run at things.

“We’ve been together for over 10 years at this point, it’s going to be a great experience for us to go out kind of with a bang, the three of us together.”

Natalie Henson had three double bogeys and a triple bogey in her first appearance at regionals.

The fourth and final counting score for Marshalltown appeared from freshman Gaby Estabrook, who finished eighth on the individual leaderboard with a 21-over 91 and gave the Bobcats four top-10 finishers. This is the second-straight meet where Estabrook has popped into the top-four scores for Marshalltown, and she recorded four double-bogeys and a quadruple-bogey on the par-four fourth hole.

Johnson said he was very pleased with Estabrook’s ability to keep calm and continue to put in a decent score in a high-pressure environment.

“She was in a great headspace today,” Johnson said. “She brought a great attitude to the course. I was really proud of the way she bounced back from making a big number on No. 4. That was fairly early in her round, but she just kept going.”

Van Buren was four shots behind Estabrook with a 25-over 95 and finished 11th as an individual, while Autumn Thompson shot a 111.

Marshalltown now is set to prepare for a trip to Ankeny and Otter Creek Golf Course, the site of state golf in 2021 and a place the Bobcats have become familiar with.

Key to succeeding at Otter Creek is adjusting to the wind, as the course is largely flat and without trees to protect from the elements. State golf begins May 26 and continues through May 27.

Class 4A Region 3 Final

Elmwood Country Club, par 70

Team Standings — 1. Marshalltown 342, 2. Linn-Mar 370, 3. Cedar Rapids Prairie 384, 4. Dowling Catholic 399, 5. Iowa City High 423, 6. Urbandale 425, 7. Des Moines East 470, 8. Lewis Central 486, 9. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 542.

Individual (top 10) — 1. Amber Henson, MHS, 75; 2. Addie Berg, CRP, 76; 3. Morgan Rupp, L-M, 85; 4. Norah Wilson, MHS, 88; 5. Natalie Henson, MHS, 88; 6. Ava Kline, L-M, 89; 7. Emma Christiansen, URB, 89; 8. Gaby Estabrook, MHS, 91; 9. Kendal Erger, CRP, 94; 10. Gabby Mercure, L-M, 94.

MARSHALLTOWN (342) — A. Henson 75, Wilson 88, N. Henson 88, Estabrook 91, Brynn Van Buren 95, Autumn Thompson 111.

LINN-MAR (370) — Rupp 85, Kline 89, G. Mercure 94, Nina Mercure 102, Abby Hoefle 105, Avery Carlson 106.

CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE (384) — Berg 76, Erger 94, Yuewan Jennissen 106, Cora Nunemaker 108, Morgan Burhans 118, Shelby Reck 122.

DOWLING CATHOLIC (399) — Izzy Staudt 98, Pilar Fisher 99, Allie Nedved 101, Kaylyn Sachs 101, Abby Ruan 108, Averi Langin 108.

IOWA CITY HIGH (423) — Annika Rutt 102, Haleigh Nelson 106, Dani Moen 107, Tully Campion 108, Olivia Knoche 110, Abbie Fredericks 114.

URBANDALE (425) — Christiansen 89, Megan Salmon 111, Kayla McLeran 112, Ava Bibbs 113, Devon Carlie 114, Maggie Aylsworth 114.

DES MOINES EAST (470) — Rylee Roberts 105, Tessa Rounds 106, Kenady Failis 120, Delaney Sneller 139, Delanee Stuve 157, Dayana Melendez-Argueta 160.

LEWIS CENTRAL (486) — Izzy Livingston 109, Sydney Thien 119, Madison Tingley 124, Zoey Dittmer 134, Kendall Robbins 144.

CB LINCOLN (542) — Jayden Hargrave 117, Lauren Hansen 125, Samantha Richard 133, Lily Knau 167.

CB JEFFERSON — Chrisha Doss 113.