KALONA

With rain coming down like cats and dogs last Thursday most golf meets in Iowa were postponed but the show must go on and it did. 

After waiting a day for the weather to cooperate more, Mid-Prairie welcomed eight teams to their home course in Kalona to battle it out in the Golden Hawk Girls Golf Invitational on April 19. 

“Kids had another great showing today at home for our rain delayed invitational,” Mid-Prairie coach Tracy McArtor said about his team. “Was a bit chilly and breezy but seeing the sun sure made up for some of the other issues.”

With the difference between first and second place being decided by three strokes, Williamsburg won the team championship with a score of 376. 

The top golfer for the first-place team was senior Jaisel Bott who carded an 87. West Branch senior Claire Jarrett golfed her way to the top of the standings, shooting an 85.

Mid-Prairie earned runner-up honors at their home invitational with a team score of 379 and having three golfers placing in the top ten in the individual standings. 

“The girls continue to play well and doing so having only gotten three competitions under their belt before today. The weather has just not been cooperating,” coach McArtor said.

“We can practice and practice but having that head-to-head competition is really what you’re looking for, especially this time of year with Conference meets and Regionals just around the corner.”

The Golden Hawks were led by three seniors: Gabi Robertson, Madi Davidson, and Elliot Debler. Both Robertson and Davidson shot a 91 to tie for third place while Debler carded a 97 to enter a three-way tie for eighth place.   

Junior Addison English was the next highest scoring Hawk with 101 to place 14th and freshman Olivia Swartzendruber was not too far behind, shooting a 103 to take 15th place.  

“What I really like is that as good as the kids are playing, it’s obvious where we’re leaving some strokes on the course that are easy fixes,” coach McArtor said. “Most of our missteps seem to be coming early in the round and if we can just get off a little better in the first few holes, I think the scores the kids are capable of shooting might even surprise them.”

Mid-Prairie 198, Wilton 213

It was a windy day for golf when Mid-Prairie traveled to the Wahkonsa Country Club to battle Wilton in a dual, but the Golden Hawks still came out on top with an impressive win over the Beavers on April 22.  

“The kids did really well today in shooting a 198-team score given the conditions,” Mid-Prairie coach Tracy McArtor said. “They really fought hard to save every stroke.”

Leading the way for the Hawks was Gabi Robertson. Robertson was the meet medalist with a 48. Teammate Elliot Debler was the runner-up medalist with a score of 49. 

The next top two performing Hawks were Madi Davidson and Addison English who carded a 50 and 51 respectively. 

Rounding out the varsity scoring was Morgyn Bender shooting a 53 and Olivia Swartzendruber shooting a 55.  

“I don’t think these scores are indicative of how well the kids played. Many of them had holes where they played awesome from tee to green and then nasty pins took over,” coach McArtor said. “I give them credit for keeping their composure when they could have really let frustration get the best of them.”

Up next for Mid-Prairie is a road dual against West Liberty on April 29.