Newton boys finish fifth in LHC regular-season tournament

RIVERSIDE — Super high winds on an already tough golf course turned scores upside down on Monday during the third and final Little Hawkeye Conference regular-season meet.

The Newton boys’ golf team shot 424 at the Washington Invitational on the par 72 Blue Top Ridge Golf Course. The Cardinals finished fifth in the final LHC standings with a 54-hole score of 1,194.

“I knew it would be a tough day with these high winds. I was hoping we stayed under a 110 average and we did,” Newton head boys’ golf coach Pat Riley said. “It shows you how tough the day was when the medalist of the entire meet shot 80.”

The meet medalist was Washington’s Roman Roth. His 80 at the top led Washington to the tournament championship with a 342. Pella’s Cade McGinley was the runner-up medalist with an 84.

Pella Christian was the runner-up at 354 and the rest of the field featured Oskaloosa (362), Pella (366) and Grinnell (378).

“We will have better days ahead,” Riley said. “These kids just shot even or under par at Edmundson last Tuesday and Knoxville on Saturday. The conditions were incredibly tough.”

Kinnick Pritchard fired a 91 and finished 11th to lead Newton. His three-round score was 259.

The rest of Newton’s scoring golfers were Lincoln Peterson (109), Lane Rozendaal (110) and Colin Cummins (114).

Peyton Rozendaal (115) had a non-counting score and Ethan Pageler withdrew from the round before it started due to an illness.

Pella Christian won the regular season conference title with a three-round score of 991. Pella (1,038) edged Oskaloosa (1,039) for second and Grinnell carded a 1,063 in fourth.

Pella Christian’s Eliot Menninga was the regular season conference champion. His three-round score was 238, which was two strokes better than McGinley.

Pritchard leads Newton to seventh at Knoxville

KNOXVILLE — Pritchard fired an 80, four other Cardinals shot better than 100 and Newton finished seventh in the seven-team field at the Knoxville Invitational on Saturday.

Newton turned in a 368 at the par 70 Pine Knolls Golf Club. Pella Christian won the tournament with a 293 and host Knoxville (295) was two shots back. The rest of the field included Pella (316), Albia (321), PCM (327) and Grinnell (338).

“It was a tough day for all of the kids,” Riley said. “The greens were super slow and smaller than what these guys are used to.”

Pritchard’s nine-hole splits were 42-38. Peyton Rozendaal turned in a 92, Pageler fired a 97 and Peterson and Cummins each had career-best 99s for the final counting score. Lane Rozendaal finished with a non-counting 114.

“One thing we did not do well today was make adjustments throughout the round,” Riley said. “When you continue to leave putts short, adjust. We just couldn’t pull the trigger on this. It’s all part of learning how to golf.”

Knoxville’s Evan Smith was the meet medalist with a 67 and Menninga of Pella Christian shot 69 as the runner-up.

Cards fire best score of season at Winterset

WINTERSET — Pritchard turned in another 80 and the Cardinals fired a season-best score but placed eighth in the 10-team field at Lakeview Country Club on Friday.

Gilbert, one of the best teams in Class 3A, won the tournament with a 299. Brock Snyder, one of the favorites to win the 3A individual title, was the meet medalist with a 66.

“We continue to show growth and many kids keep shooting their PR rounds,” Riley said. “I like where we’re headed.”

Pritchard’s 80 put him in 16th place overall. Peyton Rozendaal’s career-best 90 was next for Newton, while a pair of 94s from Pageler and Lane Rozendaal were the final counting scores.

Carter Maki shot a career-best 98 and Peterson turned in a 101 as non-counting scores.

Winterset (307) finished eight shots back of Gilbert in second and Dallas Center-Grimes (310), Van Meter (313) and Clarke (316) rounded out the top five.

North Polk (326), Bondurant-Farrar (336), Newton (358), Winterset JV (381) and Nodaway Valley (no team score) completed the field.