INDEPENDENCE — Jeremy Sellman had an early hunch Thursday was going to be a special one for the Iola High golf team.
The Mustangs’ three top golfers, seniors Xander Sellman and Christopher Holloway and sophomore Brennen Coffield were off to encouraging starts at the Independence Invitational, with each on the green putting for a birdie.
“I was lucky to be in a position to see all three boys and watched all three putts,” Coach Sellman said.
Sellman and Holloway lipped out their putts and wound up with an early par.
Coffield drained his, and held the lead through much of the first half of the tournament.
But the fun started on the back nine. Xander Sellman, who was sitting in the top five at 1-over was just behind Coffield, who held or shared the top score at the turn.
Coffield had his only rough stretch of the day, scoring bogies on three straight holes to drop out of the lead.
“When I caught up to Brennen he had just made his third bogey, I told him let’s start fresh and to par this hole,” Coach Sellman said. The sophomore responded with three pars and a birdie to finish at 3-over 74 and tied for first.
Xander Sellman, lurking like a jungle cat about to pounce, ended with a flourish as well, scoring birdies on two of his final four holes to catch up to Coffield and two other co-leaders, Kyle Eggers of Neodesha and Ethan Smalls of Independence, each with a 74.
To break such ties, the state has instituted a new tiebreaker, using a golfer’s score over the back nine to set the final order.
Xander Sellman’s dazzling back nine netted him the first-place medal, followed by Eggers, Coffield and then Smalls.
“I tell the kids you play for par and the birdies will come, and that an even par round will have you in a great spot at the end of the day,” Coach Sellman noted.
HOLLOWAY’S day was sunk with a stretch of bad luck, in the form of unfavorable bounces.
“Today was tough for Chris,” Coach Sellman said. “He would hit a good shot and be in a good position, but then catch a bad break or tough lie and make a bogey.”
Holloway wound up with a 98.
