PCM boys end golf season at districts

IOWA CITY — The Class 2A district tournament at Pleasant Valley Golf Course featured three of the top seven teams in the class, according to 18-hole average.

But Grundy Center has made it clear in the past few tournaments that when at full strength, the Spartans are one of the best teams in 2A.

PCM finished the season with the seventh-best team average, but shot its third worse score of the season on Monday.

Their 321 was a season-ending score as the Mustangs tied for third with Cascade. Grundy Center and Beckman Catholic turned in 315s to advance to the state tournament.

Easton Van Veen, the team’s No. 1 golfer, finished fifth overall with a 3-over-par 75. That’s two shots better than his season average but not good enough to advance as an individual.

East Marshall’s Cody Weaver was the meet medalist with a 68 and West Marshall’s Hunter Polley finished third with a 70. Those two golfers grabbed the two individual state bids.

The top two teams and the top two individuals not on qualifying teams advanced to next week’s state tournament at Coldwater Golf Course in Ames.

PCM needed a few more golfers in the 70s to advance as a team. Jeffrey McDanel ended up 12th with an 81 and Pete Kiernan finished 14th with an 82. The final counting score came from Tate Tangeman, who turned in an 83.

All four scoring golfers were under their season averages. Nick Farver (85) and Charlie Ford (88) turned in non-counting scores.

Grundy Center’s top golfer, Judd Jirovsky, was the runner-up medalist with a 69. Beckman’s Luke Harwick shot a 70.

That gave those two teams an advantage from the No. 1 spot, and the rest of the Mustangs couldn’t make up the difference.

After the top four teams, West Liberty (328) finished fifth and West Branch (333) placed sixth in the six-team field.