Lasher, Molstead earn all-conference honors as Comet golfers close season

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

DECORAH — Nate Lasher and Jackson Molstead have all summer to work on their game.

Or should we say games?

As a future Charles City senior, Lasher is likely hoping for a third appearance at the Iowa State Wrestling Championships.

As an incoming sophomore guard for the Comets’ basketball team, Molstead will be aiming to up his status to All-Stater after being the only freshman named to the All-Northeast Iowa Conference first team.

In addition to the camps and tournaments they will participate in during the offseason, Lasher and Molstead also hope to find time to visit some golf courses, driving ranges and putting greens.

“I definitely need to work on my short game,” Lasher said. “I missed an easy putt on the last hole … I wish I could have that back.”

There are no mulligans for putters, so Lasher had to settle for an 86 at the Northeast Iowa Conference Meet held Monday at Oneota Golf Course.

Among individuals, Lasher’s score tied him for eighth. Molstead, who shot an 88, tied for 10th.

By way of finishing in the Top 15, Lasher and Molstead both earned all-conference honors.

Lasher had earned an all-conference honor before. Obviously for Molstead, it was his first time, but it wasn’t the first time he shot well at Oneota.

The previous Friday during the Class 3A Decorah Sectional Meet held at the same course, Molstead shot a high school career low 85 while leading the Comets, who scored an 18-hole season low 350 team score.

“I like this course,” Molstead said. “It plays long and it’s good for my type of game.

“I wouldn’t say it’s my all-time favorite course, but it’s up there.”

Overall, the Comets shot 359 as a team which was good enough for fifth place. Other Comet participants included Drew Mitchell (91), Kaleb Ross (94), Theo Arndt (95) and Ian Dailey (98).

Since the Comets didn’t finish in the top two as a team nor had any individual place in the top four at the previous sectional meet in order to advance to the district round, the conference meet was their last event of the season.

“I was happy for Nate and Jackson making all-conference,” Comets coach Dave Williams said. “We shot a little higher than we did last Friday, but throughout the year the guys got better.”

Of the six golfers Charles City fielded for conference, only Dailey is due to graduate.

“We have a lot of guys coming back next year,” Williams said. “We don’t have a fall program like some of the bigger schools, but I hope some of our guys will enter some junior tournaments this summer and stay competitive.”

The hosting Decorah Vikings won the meet while besting runner-up New Hampton by 20 strokes (320-350). The Vikings boasted the top three individuals with Avery Brandt earning medalist honors (75), followed by former state champion Sam Sacquitne (79) and Derek Weis (81).

Andrew Kephart rounded out the marked scoring for the Vikings with a sixth-place-tie individual score of 85. Drake Shelton’s 12th place all-conference 88 score wasn’t needed.

Other all-conference scorers were New Hampton’s Carter Stochl (83) and Ryan Anderson (84), who placed fourth and fifth, respectively; Crestwood’s Jordan Voves (85, 6thT), Alex Kerian (88, 10thT), and Ryan Wilson and Austin McConnell (both 90, 14thT); and fourth-place Waverly-Shell Rock’s Tanner Krueger (86, 8thT) and Andrew Epely (89, 13th).

Crestwood placed third (353), Waverly-Shell Rock was fourth (358) — one shot better than the Comets, Waukon was sixth (379) and Oelwein was seventh (379).

Northeast Iowa Conference Meet

At Oneota Golf Course

May 16

DECORAH (320) — Sam Sacquitne 79, Derek Weis 81, Avery Brandt 75, Andrew Kephart 85, Drake Shelton 88, Jon Knoke 91.

NEW HAMPTON (350) — Carter Stochl 83, Eric Shatek 92, Adam Laures 98, Brogan Rosonke 91, Ryan Anderson 84, Wyatt Stochl 93.

CRESTWOOD (353) — Jordan Voves 85, Alex Kerian 88, Ryan Wilson 90, Austin McConnell 90, Colten Wiley 110, Isaiah Passmore 97.

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK (358) — Tanner Krueger 86, Andrew Epely 89, Dawson Bathke 92, Bryson Hervol 93, Christian Flege 91, Austin Phyfe 94.

CHARLES CITY (359) — Theo Arndt 95, Nate Lasher 86, Drew Mitchell 91, Jackson Molstead 88, Ian Dailey 98, Kaleb Ross 94.

WAUKON (379) — Connor Hanson 93, Mason McMillan 94, Luke Zezulka 100, Logan Sullivan 92, Michael Headington 114, Gus Pladsen 107.

OELWEIN (424) — Hunter Reisner 102, Hunter Smock 109, Jacob Reagan 106, Drake Logan 136, Jacob Mahloch 130.