NORTH ENGLISH

The Hillcrest Ravens and Highland Huskies have a Monday golf date in Iowa City.

Jace Rempel carded an 17-over-par 89 and was one of three Hillcrest golfers finishing among the top 11 in a Class 1A boys sectional tournament held Wednesday at Knoll Ridge in North English.

Highland senior Chase Schultz shook off a 13 on the ninth hole and scored a 93 to lead three Huskie golfers among the top 12.

HIllcrest finished with a team score of 381 to place second and Highland scored 386 to finish third as both teams qualified for Monday’s district tournament to be played at Pleasant Valley Golf Course.

Rempel placed fourth in the individual competition, finishing seven strokes behind English Valleys’ Eli Marsh. Luke Schrock of Hillcrest tied for eighth place with a 94 and Liam Schrock was two shots back of his brother with a 96.

“I’m excited that we’ve been able to go [to the district tournament] two years in a row,” Rempel said. “I’m glad that the team was able to play well, all come together and shoot good scores.”

For Highland, the day was a historic one. Golf coach Travis Riggan said this is the first time the Huskies have advanced to the district round.

“It’s a big deal for us and for our school, too, seeing some of the success that we’ve had a golf program, boys and girls side,” Riggan said. “I think more and more people are going to start considering going out for golf in the spring. … I think things look really well for us.”

In addition to Schultz’s 93, Peyton Yeggy was one stroke back at 94 and Trevor McFarland carded a 97.

Schultz had to survive a nightmarish battle with the 526-yard ninth hole on his first trip around the nine-hole course. He scored a 13, equaling the worst score on any hole among the seven teams.

“My first shot, I hooked a driver into the water,” he said. “Came back and dropped. Hooked it left again, out of bounds, over the pond. Dropped again. Hit it off the toe of my 3-iron into the water, short of the other side. Then I just took my 7-iron, dropped, hit a 7-iron over and up to the green.”

Schultz responded by scoring a 42 over his last nine holes, including a bogey-6 on the second time he attacked the par-5 ninth.

“Mentally, it was tough,” Schultz said. “But I knew I had to make something happen.”

English Valleys swept the top three individual finishes and won the team title with a score of 351.

Lone Tree’s Oliver Altenhofen missed qualifying for the district tournament by just three shots, scoring a 95 to lead the Lions. Quinn Miller of Iowa Valley and Camden Kennebeck of HLV captured the two individual qualifying spots with a score of 92.