Jacob Seberger
FORT DODGE – A balanced Marshalltown boys golf team finished in the middle of the pack at a 16-team Fort Dodge Invite Tuesday at Fort Dodge Country Club.
The Bobcats scored 315 points as a team and finished in eighth place. Dallas Center-Grimes scored 287 points as the team champions, while Waukee Northwest finished second with 290.
Ty Faltys and Joe Greazel both shot rounds of 78 to lead MHS, Eli Polley shot a 79 and Jacob Seberger was the last to win with a career-best 80. Adam Boone and Parker Christen were not far behind with 81 and 88, respectively.
“I’m happy with our scoring balance. We’re not just relying on one or two guys to do the work, but we see a real team with a lot of guys that can be our bottom man on any given day,” said MHS head coach Lucas Johnson.
The Bobcats handled the first nine holes well, including an eagle for Eli Polley on hole 6 – no Bobcat managed more than 41 strokes on the first nine holes, but the second nine holes were more challenging.
“We played our best golf of the season on the front nine holes,” said MHS head coach Lucas Johnson. “There are some holes on the back nine where there can be penalties and we hit a few bad tee shots that caused some damage.”
Greazel posted the best score on the back nine holes, shooting 1 over 37 with birdies on the par 3 holes 11 and 13.
Gavin Drake of Dallas-Center Grimes was the medalist of the competition, winning a three-way tie with Blake Cronin of Waukee Northwest and Ian Lux of Norwalk after all three shot 69 (2 under par).
Next up for the Bobcats is an invitation to Mason City on Thursday. In Tuesday’s competition, the Riverhawks finished 10th with 332 points.
“We’ve had a lot of success there over the years, but Mason City has improved as a team, so we’ll have to play well to beat them on their home court,” Johnson said.
