Hinton boys set to defend 1A state golf title
By Jerry GieseJournal sports writer | Posted: Friday, May 25, 2007
HINTON, Iowa -- Bruce Held figures if his Hinton boys golf team plays like they practice, they have a shot to defend their Class 1A state championship.
"Since the district tournament, we've been shooting wonderful scores," said Held, whose squad will start state tournament action today at Spring Valley Golf Course in Livermore.
"If we shoot anything close to that, we'll be in good shape. We just have to keep it fun. In golf, the biggest thing is to relax and play it like a practice round. That's when we're playing at our best.
"All six of the guys are swinging well. They have a real positive outlook. But golf's a fickle game. You never know what will happen. We've prepared well and I hope it shows this weekend."
Hinton and Newell-Fonda will represent Northwest Iowa in the Class 1A team race. Austin Sitzmann of Gehlen Catholic and Steven Aschinger of Wall Lake View-Auburn will compete in 1A individual play.
Emmetsburg is back to defend its Class 2A state title and is the lone Siouxland team at Lake Panorama National Resort in Panora. Unity Christian freshman Neil Malenke will participate in individual play.
Storm Lake is the lone area team at the Class 3A state tournament at Spirit Hollow Golf Course in Burlington. Spirit Lake's Beau DeWall will compete in individual play.
David Young, last year's 1A state tournament medalist with a two under-par 140 at Otter Creek in Ankeny, leads the Blackhawks. Young, whose brother Todd competed in Class 1A state tournament individual play in 1999, has a 36.5 scoring average.
Josh Solma (38.3), Cory Westphal (39.5), Nate Freed (40.1), Adam Freed (40.1) and Jamie Smith (41.3) will also represent the Blackhawks, which established several scoring records during the season.
Hinton fired a school-record 146 on the par-35 Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City in a meet against Unity Christian and also shot a 148 in a win over Akron-Westfield.
For the eighth consecutive season, the Blackhawks established a school record with a 152.1 scoring average. They also set a new 18-hole record with a 310.5 scoring average, which included a 302 in a sectional meet at Deer Run Course in Hinton, a score that was two strokes shy of the school-record 300 fired in the first round of last year's state tournament.
Mason City Newman, a fourth-place finisher at last year's 1A state tournament, shot the best round of the nine qualifying teams, a 312. East Buchanan and Avoca AHST are other teams Held feels could contend for the title.
"All we have to do is take care of ourselves," said Held. "If we shoot well, we have a good chance to repeat. All six have to shoot par on the right day. Even if four of the six shoot par, that's a 288 and that'll get you a long way."
"Since the district tournament, we've been shooting wonderful scores," said Held, whose squad will start state tournament action today at Spring Valley Golf Course in Livermore.
"If we shoot anything close to that, we'll be in good shape. We just have to keep it fun. In golf, the biggest thing is to relax and play it like a practice round. That's when we're playing at our best.
"All six of the guys are swinging well. They have a real positive outlook. But golf's a fickle game. You never know what will happen. We've prepared well and I hope it shows this weekend."
Hinton and Newell-Fonda will represent Northwest Iowa in the Class 1A team race. Austin Sitzmann of Gehlen Catholic and Steven Aschinger of Wall Lake View-Auburn will compete in 1A individual play.
Emmetsburg is back to defend its Class 2A state title and is the lone Siouxland team at Lake Panorama National Resort in Panora. Unity Christian freshman Neil Malenke will participate in individual play.
Storm Lake is the lone area team at the Class 3A state tournament at Spirit Hollow Golf Course in Burlington. Spirit Lake's Beau DeWall will compete in individual play.
David Young, last year's 1A state tournament medalist with a two under-par 140 at Otter Creek in Ankeny, leads the Blackhawks. Young, whose brother Todd competed in Class 1A state tournament individual play in 1999, has a 36.5 scoring average.
Josh Solma (38.3), Cory Westphal (39.5), Nate Freed (40.1), Adam Freed (40.1) and Jamie Smith (41.3) will also represent the Blackhawks, which established several scoring records during the season.
Hinton fired a school-record 146 on the par-35 Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City in a meet against Unity Christian and also shot a 148 in a win over Akron-Westfield.
For the eighth consecutive season, the Blackhawks established a school record with a 152.1 scoring average. They also set a new 18-hole record with a 310.5 scoring average, which included a 302 in a sectional meet at Deer Run Course in Hinton, a score that was two strokes shy of the school-record 300 fired in the first round of last year's state tournament.
Mason City Newman, a fourth-place finisher at last year's 1A state tournament, shot the best round of the nine qualifying teams, a 312. East Buchanan and Avoca AHST are other teams Held feels could contend for the title.
"All we have to do is take care of ourselves," said Held. "If we shoot well, we have a good chance to repeat. All six have to shoot par on the right day. Even if four of the six shoot par, that's a 288 and that'll get you a long way."
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