But the Bobcats’ home course was the great equalizer. Led by the only under-par round of the day from medalist Ryan Schmit, Marshalltown captured the team title with a 305 total.

Ankeny Centennial shot 307 for the runner-up honors, Southeast Polk was third with a 309.

“This is probably our biggest win of the year thus far,” said MHS head coach Lucas Johnson. “They believed they could compete with the best teams on our home course and had the desire and grit to battle through a tough day with some really tough pins that were playing more difficult than usual.”

Schmit canceled out a double-bogey on his first hole of the day with two birdies to get to even par at the turn.

T-R PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER - Marshalltown senior Jacob Thiessen grins after sinking a long putt for eagle on the par-5 13th hole during Thursday’s Joe August Invitational at Elmwood Country Club. Thiessen shot a 7-over-par 77 to earn eighth place in the tournament.

“I hit a good drive, and then didn’t hit my second shot the way I wanted to,” Schmit said of his six on the par-4 first hole. “My head kinda started spinning there, but once it was over, I remembered there was still 17 holes left and just accepted it and moved on and put together a good round.”

He added three birdies and two bogeys on the back nine and hit 16 greens in regulation, which Schmit said was a personal best, on his way to the medalist round of 1-under-par 69.

Southeast Polk’s Aaron Estell was the runner-up with a 1-over 71 and Centennial’s Tate Logan shot a 2-over 72.

“I was playing smart out there, staying below the hole,” Schmit said. “The kids I was playing with, you could tell who hadn’t played there versus someone who played it a lot of times.”

Johnson added: “He was fine with playing, in a sense, boring golf — hitting a lot of fairways, greens, taking two putts. I know he felt like he could have had a lot more birdies out there but it’s an awesome way to end your home career as a Marshalltown golfer.”

Eli Polley was fourth overall, shooting 5-over 75. Jacob Thiessen claimed eighth with a 7-over 77. Ty Faltys was the last Bobcat scorer at 84; Brecken Payne and Adam Boone contributed an 86 and 92 as non-scorers.

Polley shot even par on the front nine and was among the day’s leaders for most of the day.

“He’s had a really good attitude the last couple of weeks and doesn’t get too ahead of himself or too down on himself after a bad shot,” Johnson said. “As he goes from an underclassman on this team to an upperclassman, I think you see some of that maturity come through.”

Thiessen ended a string of three-consecutive bogeys with an eagle on the par-5 No. 13.

“As a senior, that’s always one of the goals to walk away with a flag from your last Joe August Invitational,” Johnson said, “and for him to have that highlight reel moment and keep it together for a 77, he should be super proud of the way he played.”

The Bobcats were able to turn the tables on a handful of teams that beat the Bobcats at Monday’s Turk Bowman Invite at Veenker Memorial in Ames.

“I think playing this course on a daily basis gives us such an advantage because we know where to miss and how to manage it,” Johnson said. “Our guys were able to battle through that mental side of things.”

Schmit, an individual state qualifier last year, was encouraged by the Bobcats coming in low on Thursday.

“I knew that we had this in us,” Schmit said. “This gives us a lot of momentum for next week. We realize we can hang in there with anyone, all we need to do is show up, have another good day like this, and we’ll be up there at (4A state tournament site) Otter Creek.”

Joe August Invitational

At Marshalltown

Elmwood Country Club, par 70

Team Standings — 1. Marshalltown 305, 2. Ankeny Centennial 307, 3. Southeast Polk 309, 4. Dallas Center-Grimes 315, 5. Norwalk 317, 6. Indianola 329, 7. Ames 336, 8. Ottumwa 352, 9. Urbandale 358, 10. Mason City 359, 11. Des Moines Roosevelt 368, 12. Marshalltown JV 384, 13. Fort Dodge 412, 14. Des Moines East 490.

Individual (top 10) — 1. Ryan Schmit, MHS, 69; 2. Aaron Estell, SEP, 71; 3. Tate Logan, AC, 72; 4. Eli Polley, MHS, 75; 5. Charlie Morrissey, AC, 76; 6. Tillman Papcun, NOR, 76; 7. Jackson Green, DCG, 77; 8. Jacob Thiessen, MHS, 77; 9. Chase Thompson, OTT, 77; 10. Gio Richardson, IND, 77.

MARSHALLTOWN (302) — Schmit 69, Polley 75, Thiessen 77, Ty Faltys 84, Brecken Payne 86, Adam Boone 92.