Despite frigid conditions, the talented Bears of West Branch High School boys golf team shot a team total 159 on their par 36 nine-hole home golf course, Cedar's Edge, Monday to open the season with a 26 stroke win over neighboring rival West Liberty.
Desperate to hit the links in what was to be a quadrangular meet, Lisbon and Iowa City Regina failed to take on the cold weather as the talented Bears had two guys roll in 39 scores while no one was more than five strokes over par for the day in the season's opening match.
Coach Nick Frenz's West Liberty team, on the other hand, had just one golfer who was six strokes over par with a 42, Ty Jones, while the other three qualifying golfers, Preston Daufeldt, Shane Elder and Colin Cassady, for the team total managed scores in the high 40's, hitting 48, 48 and 46 respectively.
Jones had only one double boggie while parring his final two holes and finishing with a birdie on hole #6.
West Branch's Dylan Countryman and Logan Highly recorded the top scores of the day, both hitting 39 while Gage Gingerich rolled up a 40 mark and Brady Knoop hit a 41.
Countryman had six pars on the day while Highly had five along with a single birdie.
Other varsity finishers for the Comets included Morgan Lehman with a 55 an Jack Mahoney with a 67.
In the junior varsity competition, West Liberty fell by a team score of 202-230.
Comet Cole Daufeldt had the low score with a 51 while Caden Laughlin marked a 55, Cael Daufeldt finished at 58 and Cale Brooks, Hunter Kleier and Coven Morgan finished at 66, 78 and 80 respectively.
Girls lose opener
The West Liberty High School girls' golf team of coach James Laughlin lost their opening match of the season at West Liberty Golf & Country Club, finishing at 274 compared to a 231 team total for the West Branch Bears. (Actually, West Liberty only had three varsity golfers, so they did not qualify as a team, but that total is the cumulative score of the top four golfers..)
Aly Harned led the way for the Comets with a respectable 51 for the day to lead all scorers, the closest West Branch golfer, Alex Poppen, hitting a 54 as did Claire Janet.
Mylei Henderson finished in a tie for fourth at 59 for the Comets while Addy Beaver rolled in a 79 and Cassie Aleman finished at 86. Grace Ortiz also rounded the course for West Liberty.