Eli Polley

AMES — A humbling outcome on the same course a day earlier led to marked improvement for the Marshalltown boys’ golf team, enough so that the Bobcats captured an Iowa Alliance Conference triangular by a cozy margin.

Marshalltown shot a 168 to beat host Ames (178) and Fort Dodge (204) one day after dragging home a 13th-place finish from the 17-team Turk Bowman Invite.

The Bobcats’ four scoring golfers shot five strokes better on Tuesday to take the triangular title, led for the second day in a row by sophomore Eli Polley. Polley’s 18-hole score of 85 on Monday was Marshalltown’s best, and Tuesday’s 4-over-par 41 on the back nine at Veenker tied for team low honors with Ryan Schmit.

Polley took runner-up medalist honors on a cardback over Schmit, just one stroke back of meet medalist Riley Travis from Fort Dodge and his 5-over 40.

Polley, Schmit and fellow Bobcat Jacob Thiessen represented the next three individual finishers in the meet thanks to Thiessen’s 42 (the same as what he shot Monday), while Brecken Payne and Ty Faltys both finished in with rounds of 44 to complete the Marshalltown team scoring. Kyle Smith added a 48, which was two strokes better than his trip around Veenker a day earlier.

“After getting beeat up by Veenker on Monday it was nice to be able to have another go at it in consecutive days and see some improvement,” said MHS head coach Lucas Johnson. “We did a better job as a team in managing the course and avoiding trouble areas.

“We’ve still got work to do, but I was glad to see our guys bring a good attitude to the day and come out with a pair of wins.”

The Bobcats are back on the links Friday with their annual Joe August Invite, which tees off at 10 a.m. at the American Legion Memorial Golf Course.

At Ames

Veenker Memorial Golf Course, back nine, par 36

Team Standings — 1. Marshalltown 168, 2. Ames 178, 3. Fort Dodge 204.

Medalist — Riley Travis, FD, 40; Runner-up — Eli Polley, MHS, 41.

MARSHALLTOWN (168) — Polley 41, Ryan Schmit 41, Jacob Thiessen 42, Brecken Payne 44, Ty Faltys 44, Kyle Smith 48.

AMES (178) — Jackson Kepley 43, Bowen Flemming 43, Nic Alexander 46, Elliott Stenberg 46, Ashton Richey 47, Sutton Battles 48.

FORT DODGE (204) — Travis 40, Dalton Rosalez 54, Grant Hepp 55, Jaxson Dencklau 55, Gavin Bacon 57, Tenton Beck 62.