Comet girls host final NEIC golf tournament, Comet boys place 2nd at New Hampton

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — The final Northeast Iowa Conference Girls Golf Tournament took place Monday at Cedar Ridge Golf Course.

And it couldn’t have picked a better morning/afternoon as the 18-hole event was graced with warm sunshine from start to finish … a pleasant departure from the oft-inclement early spring months that have plagued the season.

You couldn’t blame some of the players if they wanted to stick around after the awards ceremony to play another round just for Mother Nature’s sake, but New Hampton senior Lauren Nuss and Crestwood sophomore Ainsley Teeling decided they played enough golf for the day when given the option of a tiebreaker playoff for medalist honors.

Both Nuss and Teeling shot 82s to lead the field with Nuss’s younger sister, Kirsten Nuss, a shot behind after carding an 83. But Nuss and Teeling had finished their rounds more than an hour before the final scores were all in, and already enjoyed a post-tournament lunch in the club house, so they decided to settle for co-medalist status with the younger Nuss as runner-up.

With the Nuss sisters, Alivia Geertz (89) and Maycen Hackman (97), the Chickasaws won the final NEIC team title with a team score of 346 — one of the lowest 18-hole girls golf scores shot at a still tree-heavy Cedar Ridge in recent memory — while having their run of consecutive titles capped indefinitely at 10 in a row.

Crestwood, with All-NEIC individual scores shot by Kenzie Moellers (92), Peyton Ullom (101) and Addison Moellers (106), placed second (381) ahead of Charles City (428), Waukon (438) and Decorah (447).

The hosting Comets had two golfers make the Top 15 cut for the distinction of being included on the final All-NEIC Girls Golf Team. Sophomore lefthander Kinleigh Bahe shot a career-low 101 to place eighth, and senior Isabel Crawford shot a career-low 104 to place 11th.

Rounding out Charles City’s scoring were sophomore Averi Wohlers (111) and freshman Lily Herman (112).

Senior Mya Rimrod, who was the Comets’ lone returning All-NEIC golfer from last season, struggled on the back nine (63) before rebounding to shoot a 50 on the front nine and finishing with a 113.

Other players who made the final All-NEIC team included Waukon’s Alyssa Connelly (102, 10th), and Decorah’s Olivia Brynsaas (105, 12th) and Lulu Bellrichard (105, 13th ).

The Comet girls are scheduled to host a meet against Clear Lake on Thursday ahead of the Class 3A Regionals to take place May 21 at Pin Oak Pub and Links in Manchester.

COMET BOYS PLACE 2ND TO VIKINGS @ BOYS NEIC TOURNAMENT: Meanwhile at the final NEIC Boys Tournament at New Hampton Golf and Country Club, Decorah paced the five-time field with a team score of 305 with medalist Jacob Stevens (72) and co-runner-up Tommy Sexton (73) leading the way for the Vikings.

The Charles City Comets placed second with a season-best 18-hole team score of 319.

Comet senior Riley Perez bested a personal-low high school 18-hole score of 75 — an 8 shot improvement from his previous career low — to place fourth among individuals, one shot ahead of senior teammate Carson Gallup (76), who placed fifth.

Charles City senior Nick Williams was the third Comet to make the final All-NEIC Boys Golf Team during his lone varsity season as his career-low 82 placed him in a ninth-place tie with Carter Dihy of Decorah and Luke Drtina of Crestwood.

Other All-NEIC golfers include co-runner-up Dylan Steven of Waukon, New Hampton’s Charlie Kreiner (77, 6th), Decorah’s Jackson Pipho (78, 7th) and Waukon’s Trevor Peiffer (81, 8th).

Waukon (327), New Hampton (333) and Crestwood (342) rounded out the team scoring.

Next up for the Comet boys is the Class 3A Sectional, Wednesday at River Ridge Golf Course in Independence.

HUSKY PAIGE FRANZEN TOI MEDALIST, PLAYER OF THE YEAR: At the Top of Iowa Conference Girls Golf Tournament at Pioneer Town and Country Club in Manly, Nashua-Plainfield senior Paige Franzen shot a medalist score of 75 and was voted the TOI “Player of the Year” by the conference’s coaches.

Faith Franzen added a third-place score of 91 for the Huskies, who placed second with a 387 team score, 6 shots behind conference champion Newman Catholic, which was led by Sami Kruckenburg’s runner-up 83 score.

Rounding out the team standings were West Fork (410), North Butler (413) — All-TOI golfers Zoey Thompson (93, 5th) and Amelia Thompson (100, 8th) were All-TOI for the Bearcats, Osage (422), Saint Ansgar (426), Central Springs (469) and Northwood-Kensett (incomplete).

At the Top of Iowa Conference Boys Golf Tournament held at Nashua Golf and Country Club, Osage won the final meet by a large margin as its team score of 306 was 36 shots better than runner-up West Fork.

The champion Green Devils were led by senior Isaac Houdek, whose 72 score tied Northwood-Kensett junior Caden Helgeson for lowest individual score — Helgeson later claimed medalist honors after winning a two-hole playoff against Houdek.

Osage also got a 73 from senior Heath Voigt, who was voted TOI “Player of the Year” for the boys.

Among the local All-TOI golfers, North Butler senior Nolan Reser placed fourth among individuals with a 74, and Nashua-Plainfield senior Dawson Glaser placed seventh with an 82.

Rounding out the team placings were North Butler (345), Northwood-Kensett (348), Saint Ansgar (351), Nashua-Plainfield (353), Newman Catholic (363) and Central Springs (388).