Comets reach new low

Charles City places 2nd to Chickasaws at NEIC Meet while fielding five all-conference golfers

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

NEW HAMPTON — They were like two trains passing in the night.

Or rather two searching parties passing along the adjacent hole No. 1 and No. 9 fairways.

Often these parties invaded each other’s space, like several first-tee foursomes venturing onto the ninth-hole fairway in search for errant-driven balls and vice-versa for some ninth-tee foursomes.

For the most part, Charles City junior Theo Arndt didn’t lose his way while remaining  true to the course and shooting a career-low 18-hole score of 77 during Monday’s Northeast Iowa Conference Boys Golf Meet at New Hampton Golf and Country Club.

“I just managed to stay out of trouble and I was good around the green,” said the southpaw-swinging Arndt, who placed third among the individual scorers with New Hampton’s Ryan Anderson (74) and Carter Stochl (75) earning medalist and runner-up honors.

Several other Chickasaws also played well on their home course, including Keagan Tenge and Aden Zwanzinger, who both shot 80s while capping New Hampton’s team score at 309 for the school’s first NEIC title since 2006.

The Comets finished 21 strokes behind in second place while incidentally besting their previous 18-hole season low by 21 shots.

After fielding just two all-conference golfers last year, the Comets panned five NEIC medals this meet with senior Nate Lasher (84), sophomore Jackson Molstead (84), junior Carter Klatt (85) and senior Drew Mitchell (86) all finishing in the top 15.

With Charles City’s sixth golfer Carter Johanningmeier scoring an 89, all six Comets shot under 90.

Williams says this is not lowest Charles City has shot as a team during his tenure, but …

“We haven’t had a guy shooting under 80 for us for a long time,” he said. “Today gives us a little more momentum going into Friday.”

Like Arndt shooting under 80, Charles City hasn’t had a boys golf team advance past the sectional round in a long time. That drought ended three days before when the Comets placed second at the Class 3A Sectional at Oneota Golf and Country Club in Decorah and qualified for the Class 3A District Meet in Manchester on Friday.

“Our boys battled today,” Williams said of the NEIC tourney, that took two circuits around NHCC’s 9-hole course.

“Some of our guys started slow but finished strong … others started strong and struggled a little at the end,” Williams said. “If we can get more of our guys putting together strong starts and strong finishes, we might do well this weekend.”

Arndt is confident about his team’s prospects.

“We’re going up against some tough teams down there,” Arndt said of the district field, which will include West Delaware, which won the sectional meet at Oneota.

“But we’re playing our best golf right now. We’ll be ready.”

Northeast Iowa Conference Meet

May 15

At New Hampton Golf
and Country Club

1. NEW HAMPTON (309)

Ryan Anderson 74, Carter Stochl 75, Keagan Tenge 80, Aden Zwanziger 80, Wyatt Stochl 86, Eric Shatek 89.

2. CHARLES CITY (330)

Theo Arndt 77, Nate Lasher 84, Jackson Molstead 84, Carter Klatt 85, Drew Mitchell 86, Carter Johanningmeier 89.

3. CRESTWOOD (346)

Alex Kerian 85, Isaiah Passmore 86, Justin Reinking 87, Kristian Szajna 88.

4. DECORAH (348)

Garrett Bohr 81, Jay Fjelstul 85, Nic Woosley 86, Jared Holthaus/Justin Bullerman 96.

5. WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK (359)

Bryson Hervol 85, Dawson Bathke 90, Luke Velky 91, Peyton Hallman 91.

6. OELWEIN (394)

Jacob Reagan 87, Hunter Smock 94, Richard Tournier 105, Jacob Mahloch 108.

7. WAUKON (397)

Logan Sullivan 92, Michael Headington 98, Logan Houg 98, Ryan Hanson 109.

All-Conference

1. Ryan Anderson (NH) 74, 2. Carter Stochl (NH) 75, 3. Theo Arndt (CC) 77, 4. Keagan Tenge (NH) 80, 4. Aden Zwanzinger (NH) 80, 6. Nate Lasher (CC) 84, 6. Jackson Molstead (CC) 84, 8. Carter Klatt (CC) 85, 8. Jay Fjelstuk (D) 85. 8. Bryson Hervol (WSR) 85, 11. Drew Mitchell (CC) 86, 11. Nic Woosley (D) 86, 11. Wyatt Stochl (NH) 86, 11. Isaiah Passmore (C) 86, 15. Jacob Reagan (O) 87, 15. Justin Reinking (C) 87.