It’s an All-KCII area battle on the links tonight in Columbus Junction when the Columbus Wildcat boys and girls golf teams square off with Hillcrest Academy in the season openers for all clubs.
The Columbus boys were 6-38 a season ago, finishing 14th as a team at the Southeast Iowa Superconference meet at Wapello and eighth as a group at the sectional tournament at Pella Christian. The ‘Cats had a 214 average per nine as a team a year ago with a 198 low. On 18 it was a 434 average and 416 low. They return their top scorer by the numbers Kason Dopler with a 49 average on nine. They will have to replace Ryan Coil who led on 18 with a 96 average.
The Hillcrest Academy boys were 35-8 last season. They were fourth at the Superconference championships. In the postseason, they advanced through sectionals at BGM with a third place team score of 330 and qualified for the Class 1A State Tournament by winning the district at 346, led by individual district champ Liam Schrock with a 75. At State in Waterloo, the Ravens finished with a two-day total 668 to place fourth overall, led by Schrock’s 75, State-Runner-up performance that included a red number 71 on his second day. Hillcrest shot a 170 team average on nine last year with a 163 low, and a 337 average on 18 with a 330 low. They will have to replace Schrock and his team-leading 37 and 75 averages on nine and 18 respectively, but returning is Rowan Miller who was right behind him at 38 and 77 on each. Last year the Ravens won this matchup in Kalona 172-226.
The Columbus girls posted a 27-15 record a season ago, placing third at the Southeast Iowa Superconference Championship meet with a 403, led by Hailey Wellington’s 93. The Wildcats moved through the first round of regionals with a runner-up finish 426 at Wapello, led by Kinley Brown’s runner-up 94. The Wildcat postseason run came to an end in the 1A regional finals at Wyoming with a seventh place team finish. The Columbus team average last year was 249 on nine with a 208 low and 422 on 18 with a 403 low. The Wildcats will have to replace their top two on nine from a season ago by average in Lily Coil and Aracely Garza at 55 and 57. Brown is back average leading the Wildcats with a 99 average on 18 a year ago. Wellington’s 59 average on nine is the best returning.
The Hillcrest girls had an overall mark of 3-21 last year. They Ravens were 11th at the Superconference championship meet. As a team their season finished at the first round regional tournament in Sigourney, but individually, Claire Withrow became the first girl in program history to qualify for the regional final, firing a 90 to place fourth at Sigourney. Withrow finished her season at the regional final in New Sharon. As a team, the Raven average on nine was 260 with a 243 low and 489 on 18 with a 471 low. Hillcrest returns their top four by the numbers inlcuding Ava Miller who led with a 61 average on nine and Withrow with a 102 average on 18. Also back are Brynna O’Rourke and Izzy Frederick. Last season, this matchup went to the Wildcats by a 223-268.
Action in both meets starts tonight at 4p.m. And continues into the evening at Cedar Crest Country Club in Columbus Junction.