March 28, 2024

PCM boys climb to runner-up finish at state meet

MARSHALLTOWN — Prairie City-Monroe's Mustangs needed a bounce back performance from its two juniors during the final 18 holes of the Class 2A boys' state golf tournament on Friday.

Juniors Reed Worth and Andrew Van Ryswyk shot well below their season averages during Thursday's opening round, and the Mustangs found themselves five shots back of Des Moines Christian in third place.

Things were much better for the duo Friday as PCM turned in its best 18-hole performance of the season, and the juniors were a big reason why the Mustangs flipped the script on the Lions.

PCM sat in third place after the first round, trailing Des Moines Christian by five shots. But five golfers shooting better than 80 helped the Mustangs gallop past the Lions for runner-up honors.

"Des Moines Christian is a solid team, but I felt like they played as well as they could play the first day," PCM coach Matt Rider said. "I knew we had a couple of guys who didn't perform to their ability. We knew we could go lower, and we did."

Carroll Kuemper won the state title with back-to-back rounds of 302, but PCM finished in second, four shots clear of the Lions. PCM carded a season-best score of 306 on Friday and its two-day score of 619 was good enough to climb into second place.

The runner-up finish was the Mustangs' best team tally since claiming runner-up honors in 2013. They also finished third in 2012, second in 2009 and 2010 and first in 2008.

Leading the Mustangs was senior Noah Lanphier. He was in fifth place after round one following his 3-over-par 73. Lanphier wasn't as good Friday but his two-round total of 152 was good enough to finish in a tie for 12th.

Senior Dayton Boell had two rounds of 77 and finished tied for 16th with a 154. Senior Jackson Thomas was consistent, too, firing rounds of 79 and 78 for a 157. Thomas finished tied for 26th.

Worth carded an 85 on Thursday but bounced back with a personal-best score of 74 on the final day. His two-round total of 159 put him in a tie for 28th.

"That was a huge swing for us," Rider said. "We had other guys play well and the seniors were more consistent, but the juniors were the swing on day two."

Van Ryswyk also was 11 shots better Friday than he was on Thursday. His two-day total of 165 placed him in a tie for 41st. Senior Elijah Sperfslage finished one shot back of Van Ryswyk in 43rd.