OSAWATOMIE — Iola High’s golf team had four goals entering Tuesday’s Osawatomie Invitational.
Doug Kerr wanted the Mustang golfers to:
1. Establish a strong lead in the Pioneer League race, with the cumulative scores of three tournaments used to determine league standings.
Check. Iola leads Anderson County by 40 strokes already.
2. See how the Mustangs measured up against Class 4A power Paola.
Check. Iola tied Paola with a score of 319.
3. Compete without junior standout Shane Walden, who missed Tuesday’s tournament because he was taking a national chemistry exam.
Check.
And 4. Win the tournament
Not quite.
Ottawa, another Class 4A power, bested Iola and Paola by two strokes in the final standings.
“We hit three of our four goals, and those were the three most important ones,” said Kerr, Iola’s head coach.
Iola was once again led by Kaden Macha, defending Class 4A individual champion, with a one-over 72. His score was two strokes better than Anderson County’s Spencer Walter.
Weston Hines and Drake Dieker finished 15th and 16th, respectively with scores of 79 and 80.
Adam Peterson followed with an 88; Matt Jacobs a 94.
Without Walden, who routinely scores in the high 70s or low 80s, the Mustangs relied on Peterson’s score in the team standing, determined by each team’s four best scores.
“Adam shaved four strokes off his score from his last tournament,” Kerr said. “I was very pleased with how we did.”
Tuesday’s results also should give the Mustangs impetus for improvement.
Both Ottawa and Paola are in the Class 4A Regional tournament with Iola, with the top two team scores qualifying for the state tournament.
“For us to be where we are, without Shane, leaves me very encouraged,” Kerr said. “And some of our guys left some shots out there. I know they would have liked another shot at it.”
Iola will be in Arkansas City Friday against some of the best Class 5A and 6A schools in the state.
“It’s going to be a tremendous challenge,” Kerr said. “We’re excited.”
Iola golfers tie for second
