Carson Gallup advances to Class 3A Boys State Golf Tournament

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

WAVERLY — It was the type of day that had you looking skyward for funnel clouds with the half-baked hope that a tornado may actually cause the wind to die down a measure.

But for senior Carson Gallup, the gale-level turbulence that whipped through Monday’s Class 3A District Boys Golf Tournament at Waverly Municipal Golf Course was just another day at the office.

A good day at the office.

“I played in conditions like these all the time, and they often help my game,” said Gallup, who shot a 5-over 18-hole score of 75, which was good enough for fourth place among the individuals and for an individual berth for next week’s Class 3A State Tournament at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls.

“The flight on my drives are lower to the ground than most others, and that keeps my shots from getting up into the wind,” Gallup said. “It gives me a little advantage when it’s windy like this.”

Gallup has been one of Charles City’s finest golfers ever since his freshman season. His career-best prep scores of 70 for 18 holes and 34 for nine holes are among the lowest recorded in Comet history.

But advancing to the state tournament had been elusive for Gallup during his first three seasons. It’s not that he shot bad during previous districts/state-qualifiers, it’s just that someone had always shot better in seizing the final berth.

Waverly-Shell Rock, which was the meet’s host, won the meet with a sub-300 (299) team score led by medalist Tyler Gade (71) and fellow Go-Hawk senior Luke Frazell (74).

Independence junior Dawson Fuelling (73) was the individual runner-up for the Mustangs, who placed third (315) behind runner-up Knoxville (313).

The top three teams advance to state. The top two individuals who are not on qualifying teams also advance to state.

Pella senior Patrick Bishara and Grinnell sophomore Cameron Gosselink both shot 76s and both were granted individual berths.

HUSKY GIRLS WIN REGIONAL FIRST ROUND: At the Class 1A Girls Golf Regional First Round at Lone Pine Country Club in Colesburg on Friday, Nashua-Plainfield paced the nine-team field with a team score of 382 — 14 strokes better than runner-up South Winneshiek.

The Huskies were led by senior medalist Faith Franzen (84); senior Paige Franzen, whose 91 matched South Winneshiek freshman Claire Becker — Becker won the tiebreaker for runner-up status; junior Elayna O’Neill (100) and junior Paisley McCain (107).

All members of the champion Huskies and the runner-up Warriors, as well as individual qualifiers — Turkey Valley junior Annika Bodensteiner (96), Starmont sophomore Giulia Carbone-Kruger (96) and Edgewood-Colesburg junior Chloe Everett (99) advance to the regional final, Wednesday at Little Bear Country Club in Wyoming.

BEARCAT FRESHMAN ZOEY THOMPSON ADVANCES TO FINAL: At the Class 1A Girls Golf Regional First Round at Acorn Park and Golf Course in Saint Ansgar last Friday, Newman Catholic paced the eight-school field with a team score of 384, well ahead of runner-up Lake Mills (409), which also qualified for Wednesday’s final round at Highland Park Golf Course in Mason City.

North Butler placed third (425) and will be represented by freshman Zoey Thompson at the regional final as an individual. Thompson shot a 92, which matched Newman Catholic sophomore Tess Weiner for the second-best score of the tournament.

Newman Catholic junior Sam Kruckenburg was one shot better (91) than Thompson and Weiner for medalist honors.